Love Lost Returned
by Nonnie
Summary: CSI: Miami - Totally Revised! Please see Author's Note inside! The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Speed's precarious relationship with Calleigh.
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Prologue:  
  
Tim sat in the window seat of his bedroom, clad only in a pair of plaid cotton boxers. Quietly opening the window, he lit a cigarette and brought it to his lips. Moonlight danced through the filmy curtains, casting intermittent shadows over the features of the woman sleeping in his bed. He rested his back against the wall and propped his feet up on the other side, closing his eyes and absorbing the soft sounds of the Miami night.  
  
I wasn't prepared, he thought, turning his head slightly to gaze at her. Soft amber curls cascaded across her pillow, the red a stark contrast to the ivory of Tim's cotton pillowcases. He imagined her bright green eyes dancing beneath their lids, dreaming only of him. One hand was tucked beneath her pillow and the other had come to rest in the middle of the bed when Tim had rolled out of it a few moments ago.  
  
She'd come home, he reminded himself, but not for him. She'd come back for a case, for Horatio. She wasn't his any more, and yet she still possessed every fiber of his soul. His worst fears had been realized the moment she'd stepped off the plane. He still loved her.  
  
They don't understand, he sighed, flicking ashes into an empty beer bottle. How could anyone possibly understand how he'd so easily taken this woman back into his life, back into his bed? They didn't understand, because they didn't love her the way he loved her.  
  
"Tim?" She'd woken, but hadn't moved. He turned to watch her again.  
  
"Yeah, babe?"  
  
She stroked the spot Tim had occupied when she'd fallen asleep with her fingertips. "I'm awfully lonely over here all by myself."  
  
A grin tugged at his lips. He exhaled the last drag of his cigarette, quickly shoving the remnant into the bottle and standing. He teased, "Maybe you should snuggle up to your pillow."  
  
She smiled sleepily. "My pillow can't give me what I want right now."  
  
He crossed over to the bed and slid in next to her. Tracing her cheek with his fingertip, he asked quietly, "And what's that?"  
  
She snuggled closer to him and wrapped her leg around his waist. Her lips trailed hot kisses on his neck. He moaned as her hand slid seductively down his chest. "You." 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
One Week Earlier -  
  
"Jesus Christ!" Tim brought the camera up to his eye and focused his shot. "What kind of animal would do this?" He surveyed the crime scene again, focusing his lens on the bodies of their two latest victims in a string of extremely violent homicides. A young couple lay prone on the king size bed in one of Miami's finest hotels, drenched in their own blood. The man had been shot, once through the head – an easy death compared to the woman.  
  
"I hear you." Alexx leaned over the woman's body, tilting the head gently from side to side. "Throat slit from ear to ear. Pretty gruesome stuff, Speed."  
  
Horatio bent down and picked up a small light blue leather purse. "Alexx," he asked, unzipping the purse and poking through it in search of identification, "are there any signs of sexual assault?"  
  
"With all this blood?" Alexx shook her head. "No way to tell until I get her back to the lab."  
  
Horatio located the victim's identification and sat the purse down on the dresser.  
  
"Whathca got there, H?" Speed came up next to his boss.  
  
"Lucy Loman, age 29," Horatio stated, examining the out of state license, "resident of Savannah, Georgia."  
  
"Matches the husband." Speed said. "Max Davidson, age 32, also a resident of Savannah."  
  
"Another set of newlyweds," Horatio observed glumly. "I'll bet the ink hasn't even dried on their marriage license."  
  
"This is getting out of control. This bastard's not leaving us with anything to go on," Speed complained.  
  
"Just remember Speed, they always make a mistake. Maybe we'll get lucky today."  
  
Speed sniggered. "Yeah, before he gets another couple."  
  
"Let's work for that, Speed." Horatio dug his ringing cell phone out of his pocket. "Caine," he answered.  
  
A gentle Southern accent greeted him on the other end of the line. "I had a message that the great Lt. Horatio Caine might need my humble assistance," she drawled with just the slightest hint of laughter in her voice.  
  
Horatio smiled despite himself. "He just might indeed." He looked around for his protégé. "Speed, I'm going to step outside for a moment."  
  
"He's there?"  
  
"Of course," he answered flatly so as not to give anything away.  
  
"Does he know you called me?" she demanded.  
  
Horatio donned his sunglasses and stepped onto the balcony into the bright Miami sunshine. Shutting the doors behind him, he answered quietly, "No, I, uh, haven't told him yet."  
  
She sighed heavily. "Okay, so tell me what's going on down there."  
  
"I have a series of victims, eight to be exact, four couples, all newlyweds. None of them married more than three weeks. Two couples were in Miami for their honeymoons. One couple was native to Coral Gables. They had just gotten back from a trip to Jamaica. The fourth couple," he paused, "well, we're processing the scene now."  
  
Horatio could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. "Each set of murders the same?" she asked finally.  
  
"Identical. Husband shot in the head. Wife brutally assaulted, throat slit. I need a profile, the killer's leaving us nothing."  
  
She considered his words for a moment. "You want me to come down there?"  
  
"I think that would be helpful."  
  
Another sigh and another long pause. "Okay," she said evenly. "I'll call you back with my flight information."  
  
"Okay," he replied, snapping his phone shut and returning it to his pocket.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~  
  
"I've called in a profiler," Horatio said to his team, assembled the next day in the break room at MDPD headquarters.  
  
"I guess I don't need to ask her name," Speed said sarcastically, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. The younger man glared at his boss, who dismissed it with a smile.  
  
"I don't guess you do, Speed," he replied gently.  
  
Calleigh realized that she'd never seen Tim quite so annoyed with Horatio. A deep frown was set across his normally handsome features, and Calleigh marveled at his reaction to this female profiler.  
  
Horatio handed Speed a short piece of paper, which the younger man accepted hesitantly. "Here's her flight information. Take Eric with you, and Speed," he shot a warning glance at the younger man, "be nice."  
  
Tim let out a loud sigh as he stood. "Let's go man."  
  
Eric's eyes darted quickly between Speed and Horatio. Sensing the tension and the sudden turn in his best friend's mood, he stood quickly and followed Speed out of the room without a word.  
  
Horatio shook his head lightly and returned his attention to the rest of the team. "That's all," he said weakly.  
  
"Horatio," Alexx's tone was angry as she blocked Horatio's escape from the break room. "Have you completely lost your mind?"  
  
Horatio tilted his head down and looked seriously at her. "She's one of the best profilers in the country, and I want the best."  
  
Alexx was undeterred and spat back, "Have you even stopped to consider what this might do to Tim?"  
  
"I have, and quite frankly, Alexx, they are both adults."  
  
Alexx snickered. "Well," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, "I'll guess we'll just see about that." She turned on her heels and threw open the break room door, high-tailing it down the hall and back to her office, leaving Horatio in her wake.  
  
He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.  
  
"Horatio?" He hadn't realized anyone else was the room and Calleigh's voice startled him. He turned to find her still sitting at the break room table, confusion furrowing her brow and her hands folded in front of her.  
  
"Calleigh," he responded gently.  
  
Calleigh considered her words carefully before continuing. "Horatio...I ..."  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"What was all that about? Who is this profiler and why are Alexx and Tim so mad at you?"  
  
Horatio chuckled weakly. "Her name," he paused, "is Leanna Coleman. And as far as why Alexx and Speed are mad at me, I think you'll find out soon enough." 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Speed gripped the steering wheel and fought to control his breathing. What the hell, he thought to himself, she can't be coming back. I can't deal with this, his mind screamed. Tim maneuvered the Hummer through the heavy afternoon traffic, heading for the airport. His brain swirled with memories of them, of her. He shook his head to eliminate the thoughts and tried to concentrate on the traffic.  
  
"Fuck," he said, not realizing he'd said it aloud.  
  
"Speed, you okay?" Tim glared at his best friend who was riding shotgun.  
  
"Just freakin' peachy," he snarled, weaving into the fast lane of traffic.  
  
Eric reasoned that he enjoyed living far too much to press Speed with any more questions. They rode in silence for the rest of the drive. Tim whipped the Hummer into a parking spot reserved for police vehicles near the entrance to the International Airport.  
  
He yanked a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and lit it. Taking a long drag, his mind reasoned with his heart. You can do this, Speed, he thought to himself, she's just the profiler coming in to assist on the case. You're just the cop who was sent to pick her up. He took a final drag off the cigarette and stomped it out just before they reached the automatic doors leading into the airport concourse.  
  
Eric wandered into a gift shop across from where Speed leaned against a column, arms folded purposely across his chest; jaw clenched and eyes set firmly. Eric kept one eye on his best friend and one eye on the latest copy of Gear magazine. He flipped through it distractedly, more interested in Speed's reaction to this profiler than to the young model gracing the magazine's spread. Whoever this chick is, Eric thought, Speed's determined not to let her get to him.  
  
After twenty minutes of flipping, Eric noticed movement. Speed had abandoned his spot on the column and was now walking slowly past the gift shop with his hands shoved into his jean pockets. Eric placed the magazine back in the rack and started down the concourse behind his friend.  
  
"Wow," Eric thought to himself as he noticed Speed approaching a beautiful redhead making her way into the concourse. He could tell from the look in Tim's eyes that this was the woman they'd been waiting for. Actually, it was pretty obvious that this woman was FBI. She was dressed like a fed – only better – navy blue pinstripe suit, just tight enough to be form fitting, not tight enough to be vulgar. A silky white tank top peeked out from behind the jacket, and she wore a simple white gold diamond pendant. Her auburn hair was pulled up in a clip at the back of her head, and as Eric got closer, he noticed a very faint smattering of freckles across her nose and the brightest green eyes he'd ever seen. She was tall – Eric estimated her height to around 5' 10".  
  
She was breathtaking. But there was something else, something in the way Speed looked at her. The way his eyes lit up, betraying his resolve to keep his emotions in check. Eric knew immediately that his friend had been in love with this woman and might still be.  
  
"Lea," Tim stated simply, his brain continuing its fight with his heart for control of his body and voice.  
  
"Tim," she sighed, then directed her attention to Eric. "Leanna Coleman, FBI."  
  
He took the hand she offered and shook it. "Eric Delko, CSI. It's every nice to meet you Miss Coleman."  
  
She laughed the sweetest laugh Eric thought he'd ever heard. "Please, Eric. I'm Leanna or Lea, whichever you prefer."  
  
Eric blushed and hung his head just slightly. "Okay," he said quietly.  
  
Tim watched the display between Leanna and Eric with steely eyes. Is Eric flirting with her, his brain screamed? "Are you two done? Because I'd really like to get back to work catching this killer," he spat out irritably.  
  
Leanna considered him for a moment and then leaned in to Eric, "Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." They both laughed before being stared down by Tim. Leanna swallowed a smile and cleared her throat. "Well boys, I may be FBI, but I'm also a woman, and God knows this," she said, handing her carry-on bag to Eric, "isn't all the luggage I brought."  
  
Eric laughed as he accepted the carry-on, and happily followed Leanna down the concourse, toward the baggage carousels. He cast a glance back at Speed, who ran a hand through his hair and down his face. "You comin', man?" Eric asked.  
  
Tim shot Eric a nasty glare and breezed past him. "I can't freakin' believe you," he said under his breath.  
  
Standing next to Leanna at baggage claim, Tim noticed a diamond ring on her left hand as she reached in to pull a bag off the conveyer belt. Sheer, intense jealousy, even anger, bubbled up inside the normally reserved CSI. He pushed the feelings back down before commenting, "That's new," as he accepted the bag from her.  
  
A hot blush spread across Leanna's face and she pulled her hand away quickly. "Yeah," she responded, leaning in to grab another bag.  
  
She handed the second bag to Eric and the trio made their way out of the airport. Tim was still fuming as he tossed her suitcase into the back of the Hummer. He opened the driver's side door and got in. She can open her own damn door, he thought, or better yet her fiancé can open it for her.  
  
Eric shook his head at Tim's bad manners and opened the front passenger door for Leanna.  
  
They rode in torturous silence for twenty-three minutes. Eric knew, because he had been checking his watch methodically. Just when he'd gotten up the nerve to break his silence, his cell phone rang.  
  
"Delko," he answered quickly.  
  
"Eric, have you picked up Leanna yet?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Horatio laughed. "Don't want to elaborate on that, do you Eric?"  
  
The young CSI smiled; then whispered to his boss, "Well they haven't killed one another yet, if that's what you mean."  
  
"Keep your weapon handy, just in case," Horatio admonished and Eric debated whether or not his boss was serious.  
  
"You got it, H." Eric snapped his phone shut and returned it to the clip on his belt.  
  
"Horatio was checking on us, huh?" Leanna asked, turning in the front seat to face Eric.  
  
"Something like that, yeah." 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Leanna Coleman sat quietly in the seat next to Tim, listening to Eric sing along softly to the radio. Resting her head on the back of the seat, she mentally relived the past two days, silently cursing Horatio Caine for putting her in this position and bringing her home to Miami, for the first time in four years. Home to Tim, her heart screamed and she closed her eyes to block the thought.  
  
You have Jonathan, her head reminded her. Sweet, wonderful Jonathan. Sweet, SAFE Jonathan, her heart shrieked back. He'll never love you the way Tim did, her heart continued to battle, he'll never make you feel the way Tim did.  
  
Did, her head shot back. That's over and done now. You've moved on, she thought, casting a glance at Tim. He certainly didn't look any worse for wear. He was more ruggedly handsome now than he was four years ago, thinner too. He never did eat properly, she thought; then quickly scolded herself. Things have changed and so have you, she reminded herself. You're not the girl you were four years ago, when you left Tim in Miami to follow your dreams to Virginia, to the FBI headquarters at Quantico.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~  
  
Feeling her eyes on him, Tim cast a tentative glance at Leanna. His eyes connected briefly with hers, then she turned to gaze out the window, leaving Tim to compare every aspect of her face with the one that had left him so long ago. He remembered every vivid detail of that night. The fight – that stupid ass fight – how he'd virtually demanded she leave her dreams behind for his.  
  
He peeked at the tortoise shell clip capturing each strand of her shiny auburn hair and wondered how long her hair was now. It had been down to her shoulders when she left. He recalled without hesitation how silky it had felt, slipping softly through his fingers.  
  
His eyes traveled down the base of her alabaster neck to her shoulders, her arms, finally resting on her left hand and the sparkling diamond that adorned it. He wondered if she called out her fiancé's name when they made love with the same intensity, the same love, the same passion she used to scream his. He could almost hear it now....  
  
"Tim!" Leanna screamed, driving his thoughts back into reality, just in time to swerve and miss a car stopped in the freeway lane.  
  
He pulled the truck over on the shoulder and instinctively grabbed Leanna's arm, looking her over from top to bottom. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Leanna said quietly, pulling away him. The gesture sent Tim's heart plummeting into his stomach.  
  
"I'm fine back here too, man." Eric slumped down in his seat and placed a hand over his racing heart. "What fucking planet are you on, jackass?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~  
  
"Hello, beautiful!" Horatio called brightly from the hallway.  
  
Leanna raced down the hall and into Horatio's open arms. "God, I have missed you." He felt her tremble in his arms. "Are you okay?" he whispered.  
  
"No," she answered honestly, squeezing him tighter. "But I'm better now."  
  
"Miss me too?" John Hagen asked from the spot he'd taken up in the hall. The burly detective was leaned up against a doorframe.  
  
"You...not so much," she teased, hugging the detective warmly.  
  
Calleigh watched the display from the trace lab, curious as to this new woman's role in these men's lives. Tim glanced into the lab and Calleigh offered him a sympathetic smile. She could tell that Leanna's presence was torturous for him and Calleigh wanted to know why.  
  
"Well," Horatio said gently, "I know you'll want to get settled and we have a lot of work to do. Speed, gather the team for a meeting in ten minutes."  
  
Tim nodded and walked off. Stepping into the Trace lab, he breathed a momentary sigh of relief.  
  
"Tim?"  
  
Speed crossed the room and flopped down onto a stool next to the evidence table. He closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.  
  
"Yeah?" he asked Calleigh.  
  
She bit her lip before responding. "Who is that woman?"  
  
Tim let his head fall all the way back. He didn't want to discuss Leanna with Calleigh. Not now, not ever. It was simply too complicated. He answered her very curtly, "Calleigh, do we have to talk about this now?"  
  
His words stung and so did the tears forming in her eyes. She faked a smile and said, "Of course not, Tim."  
  
Tim saw the pain he'd caused displayed prominently in her eyes. He cursed himself for speaking to her like that and said softly, "Horatio wants to see all of us in ten minutes."  
  
"Okay," she answered, turning her attention back to the sample on the microscope.  
  
Tim reached out to touch her, but drew his hand back. "Cal," he said quietly.  
  
Calleigh shook her head, but refused to look at him, "Tim, it's okay, really."  
  
With a heavy sigh, Tim turned and left the room. Calleigh quickly swiped at her eyes to remove any lingering tears and regain her composure. It's not okay, she thought to herself, not okay at all.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calleigh strolled in to the break room, smile plastered on her face and her eyes shining brightly. She extended her hand to Leanna. "You must be Leanna Coleman. I'm Calleigh Duquesne."  
  
Leanna offered Calleigh a warm smile. "It's lovely to meet you, Calleigh. I understand that you are the weapons expert around here."  
  
Calleigh rolled her eyes playfully and laughed. "Horatio's a little generous with his compliments, as I'm sure you well know."  
  
"Not generous enough," Horatio answered from his seat at the head of the table, grinning at his ballistics expert as she took her seat next to Speed. Leanna watched the simple display curiously. She saw Tim shift uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting between Leanna and Calleigh and she noticed the sad smile Calleigh offered him when he glanced at her.  
  
Horatio spread files out over the table. "Eight victims in four weeks. Four married couples, none married more than three weeks. Husbands killed with one shot to the left temple, wives sexually assaulted before their throats were slit." He handed the photographs to Leanna.  
  
Speed continued, "Forensically, he's leaving us nothing. No prints from anyone other than the victims. No blood at any of the scenes but the victims'. No paper trail. Rooms are always paid for with cash. I've been unable to lift any usable prints off any of the bills."  
  
"The bullets we recovered from each of the four husbands are standard 9MM," Calleigh began. "Nothing special, they can be purchased at stores around the country. You can even buy them at Wal-Mart."  
  
"What about the knife?" Leanna asked, sifting through the stack of photographs.  
  
"Cuts are nearly identical on each victim," Calleigh explained. "The killer may be using the same knife for each murder. The blade is small, but cuts deep."  
  
"Sexual assaults?" Leanna launched into her next question. "Have you gotten any DNA from the rape kits?" she asked Alexx.  
  
"Nothing," the ME stated plainly. "The killer is definitely raping these women, but not with his penis, not with the knife or the gun and not with any other part of his anatomy."  
  
"You assume it a man?" Leanna asked curiously.  
  
"Don't you?" Alexx shot back, enjoying the banter.  
  
Leanna grinned at her friend. "Maybe, maybe not. There are female serial killers too. Is there any connection between the victims?"  
  
Leanna searched the team's faces for an answer. Speed was trying desperately to swallow a grin. Calleigh diverted her eyes to the floor and Eric was blushing furiously. "Horatio?" she questioned.  
  
Horatio shot warning glares at each member of his team. "Our victims all visited a local club called Tremolar the night they were murdered."  
  
"Tremolar?" Leanna shook her head. "I don't recognize the name, it must be a new club."  
  
"A swinging new club," Speed deadpanned, eliciting a loud snicker from Eric.  
  
She glared at him. "What aren't you telling me?"  
  
Tim fought the smile tugging at his lips. "Our victims were all swingers."  
  
Leanna was taken aback. "Swingers?"  
  
Tim grinned. "You know, couples trading partners, that kind of thing."  
  
"I know what it means," she said irritably. "Have you investigated the club?"  
  
"Nah," Speed leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "We were just twiddling out thumbs until you got here."  
  
Leanna's green eyes met Tim's chocolate ones in an intense stare. Calleigh's gaze darted between them, silently wondering which of them would be the first to surrender.  
  
"The club," Horatio passed another file to Leanna, who finally diverted her eyes from Tim's still-hardened stare, "has a state of the art surveillance system. We've been comparing tapes from the nights each couple was murder, looking for some common denominator."  
  
"One person who approached all four couples?" she questioned.  
  
"Mmm-hmm," he answered affirmatively.  
  
"Horatio, don't take this the wrong way, but, our killer knows what he's doing. He's left you guys nothing so far. I just don't think he'd get caught on camera looking the same way twice."  
  
"Disguises?" Calleigh asked.  
  
"It's a possibility," Leanna answered.  
  
"What kind of a person would do this kind of thing, Leanna?" Eric asked.  
  
"With a sexual killing like this, it's entirely possible that our killer was once a victim himself. Possibly raped or molested, most likely in childhood. It's also possible that our killer suffers from some kind of sexual dysfunction."  
  
Leanna reviewed the photographs again; then continued, "The killing of the husband is secondary, even though Alexx has determined that the husband is killed first. He kills the husband so that he can brutalize the wife without any interruption. Slitting the throat is personal."  
  
"A vendetta," Speed commented.  
  
"Could be," she answered without looking at him, "It's possible that the killer was abused by a woman in his life."  
  
Eric considered Leanna's words. "His wife, maybe?"  
  
She shook her head. "You're thinking too generally right now, remember that the killer isn't necessarily a man. Look at the bigger picture. Go back over the tapes and concentrate on the wives. They're the ones who are going to lead us to our killer." 


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Leanna sifted through the mountain of digital photos taken from the surveillance tapes, searching for one familiar face in all four stacks.  
  
She'd taken over a spot in the crime lab's break room and had been huddled over the table examining the photographs for what seemed like hours. She pushed back the fabric of her jacket and studied her watch. Nine-thirty. She yawned.  
  
The break room door opened behind her and she immediately sensed Tim's presence. She was amazed - she still knew the sound of his walk after all this time.  
  
Tim stepped up behind her as she studied two photographs carefully. "Whatcha got?" he asked gently, careful not to startle her.  
  
Leanna tossed the photographs on the table and leaned back in her chair, massaging her aching temples. Tim wasn't sure if he longed to reach out and touch her, or to reach out and throttle her. "Nothing," she said glumly. "I don't see anything in these pictures, Tim."  
  
"Neither did we," he responded softly.  
  
"I want to see the crime scenes tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a better feel for him there."  
  
Speed nodded. "That can be arranged. But I think you've got a pretty good handle on this guy already, Lea."  
  
She smiled at his compliment and turned to face him. "Thanks."  
  
He sat down in the chair next to her. "Horatio asked me to take you to your hotel."  
  
She crossed her arms at her chest. "Are these orders from Horatio or are you volunteering, Tim?"  
  
"I'm sure as hell not volunteering." He meant the comment to be a joke, but the words left his mouth sounding much more bitter than he'd intended.  
  
She eyed him curiously. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Four years of pent up frustration, anger and pain came tumbling out his mouth and Tim was helpless to stop the flow. "Four years, Lea. In four years, you haven't come home one time, not to visit me, not to break up with me, not to tell me to rot in hell."  
  
"You made it very clear it was over when I left," she spat back. "I didn't think I had anything to come back for."  
  
"You wanted to call off our wedding," he replied, his voice tinged with anger and bitterness.  
  
"I didn't want to call off anything, Tim, I wanted to postpone it," she said flatly, refusing to continue this argument any further.  
  
"Same damn thing," he argued.  
  
Leanna rose from the chair and pushed it back, grabbing her briefcase and laptop. "I wouldn't want to waste your precious time, Tim. I'll get a cab."  
  
Tim followed her into the hallway. Grabbing her arm, he spun her around. "We're gonna have this fight now or later, Lea, but we're gonna have it."  
  
"We have nothing left to fight about." Exhaustion strained her voice, but Tim pressed on as she continued down the hall.  
  
"Leanna." Tim's use of her full name stopped her and she turned to face him.  
  
"You know what, Speedle?" she asked irritably. "In those same four years, you never once visited me either. You didn't try any harder than I did to fix our problems, and you sure as hell aren't blameless in our breakup."  
  
"You're right," he agreed. "But I'm not the one who left, Leanna."  
  
"No," she sighed before stepping out into the crisp Miami night, "you're just the one who drove me away."  
  
"Drove you away?" he continued arguing as they made their way outside.  
  
She swung around to face him. "That's right, Tim, you drove me away. You wanted me to give up my dream for you."  
  
"For us," he countered.  
  
"No, Tim, for you." She pointed directly at him. "You made me feel like I was two inches tall, some porcelain doll who was incapable of making her own decisions. You never asked me what I wanted. You wouldn't listen to me when I told you that I wanted to marry you more than anything in the world, but I wanted this too. I thought we could work it out but you simply assumed that I'd give it all up for you. And, you know what they say about assuming."  
  
Her accusation stopped him dead in his tracks. Tim felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. By the time he regained his composure and started after her again, Leanna was gone.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
Calleigh slammed her apartment door and sank, sobbing onto the floor. She'd seen the whole thing – Tim and Leanna's argument. Thank God they hadn't seen her. She just didn't understand it; Tim Speedle was always in control of his emotions. But tonight, Calleigh had seen him fly off the handle, arguing in public with Leanna, something he loathed out of others. Tim wouldn't release his precious control like that without real, raw emotion. He still loved her, and Calleigh knew it. His years apart from Leanna had changed nothing.  
  
She wiped her tears with the back of her hands. Standing, she made her way into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of bourbon from the cabinet above her refrigerator. She poured a drink, allowing the amber liquid to soothe her frazzled nerves. Calleigh padded into the living room, glancing at the mirror in her hallway. Walking up to it, she considered her reflection. Why didn't he love her? Why couldn't he see how much she loved him?  
  
She turned on the light in her bedroom and opened the closet door. She grabbed a t-shirt from the drawer inside and held it up to her face, inhaling the scent of him. She buried her face in the soft cotton and began sobbing again. Crawling onto her bed, she wrapped the t-shirt around her and closed her eyes.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
Leanna turned the hot water on full blast in the hotel shower. Stepping back into the bedroom, she removed her earrings and pendant, gingerly placing them on a small washcloth she'd procured from the bathroom. She stared at her engagement ring, emotion coursing through her body, making her nauseous.  
  
She ran her finger over the stone. Jonathan had been so happy when he'd given it to her. Jonathan. Tim. The names swirled in her head and she began to feel dizzy. What am I doing? She asked herself, collapsing onto the bed. She cursed herself – it's been four years, Leanna. You've had four years to get over him. So, why haven't you, her heart called back?  
  
It had been so hard for her to leave him, but he just didn't understand. She was only going to be gone for a little while. Just a few months, and then they'd have the rest of their lives to be together.  
  
But, he couldn't understand that, or wouldn't. He'd demanded she give up the FBI, her dream for as long as she could remember. She'd told herself over and over again that if Tim really loved her, he would have understood, and would have supported her dream. It was that thought, and that thought alone, that got her through some of the loneliest nights.  
  
She graduated first in her class; then asked that her assignment be changed from Miami to New York. Then she moved to Washington, where she met Jonathan. Jonathan understood, Jonathan got it, Jonathan supported her. So, why had she never been able to get Tim Speedle out of her head?  
  
Leanna curled up on the bed and removed the ring from her finger, staring at the naked digit. She remembered another ring – a simple white gold band. One that she'd planned to have adorn her finger for the rest of her life...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
Calleigh awoke to a knock at the door. Climbing sleepily out of bed, she tripped on her jacket and busted her knee on her dresser. Rubbing the knee and walking at the same time, she answered the determined knocker, "Hold your damn horses, I'm coming."  
  
The knocking stopped and Calleigh peeped out the privacy hole. She sucked in a gasp and turned from the hole to rest her back against the door.  
  
"Calleigh," he called out, "Open up, I know you're in there."  
  
Calleigh opened the door to an extremely agitated Tim. "Can I come in?" he asked brusquely.  
  
"No," she said adamantly, blocking his entrance into her apartment, "you may not."  
  
Tim laughed and placed a drunken kiss on Calleigh's lips, gently picking her up at the waist and depositing her inside.  
  
"Where's Leanna?" she asked irritably, not closing the door, because she reasoned, he wouldn't be here long enough to make the effort.  
  
Tim picked up the bottle of bourbon Calleigh had left on the counter and poured a drink. He downed the dark liquid in one gulp. "At her hotel, I guess" he answered bitterly. "I'm not her fucking keeper."  
  
"What are you doing here?" Calleigh spat out.  
  
Tim stepped from the kitchen counter. He grinned as he approached her, sliding his arms her waist. Burying his face in her hair, he whispered, "I needed to see you."  
  
The words and the booze on his breath combined made her sick. "Get off me!" she cried, wiggling out of his embrace.  
  
He grasped for her wrists, but she stepped further away. "What the hell is wrong with you?"  
  
"Wrong with me?" she yelled, "You're drunk! I saw you arguing with Leanna and now you come over thinking I'll screw you and make it all better?"  
  
He didn't respond; he just chuckled hoarsely and started for the door.  
  
Calleigh continued her assault on him. "Who is she, Tim? Just another fuck buddy like me? Another notch on your belt? Another way you get through the night?"  
  
When he turned to face her, the fire and anger in his eyes startled her, even frightened her. "You think you've got it all figured out, right Cal?" he shot back. "You have no idea what Leanna means to me."  
  
'Means' her brain processed, he didn't say 'meant'. Calleigh swallowed the lump forming in her throat and closed her eyes to the tears that were stinging them. "Get out," she said quietly.  
  
Tim quickly realized what he'd said and his tone was softer now as he began to explain. "Calleigh..."  
  
"I said GET OUT!" she screamed, pushing him out the door and slamming it in his face. 


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Calleigh entered the break room the next morning, bleary-eyed and exhausted, not having slept a wink since throwing Tim out of her apartment. Leanna was at the table, hunched over her computer, engrossed in something she was reading on the screen.  
  
Leanna looked up as Calleigh walked in and made her way over to the coffee maker. "Calleigh, have you by any chance seen Tim this morning?" she asked cautiously.  
  
Calleigh's mug stopped halfway to her mouth. "No," she said a little too quickly. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"I'm just looking for him, that's all," Leanna smiled half-heartedly, returning her attention to the computer screen.  
  
"Well it doesn't seem like you're looking very hard." Leanna gaped at Calleigh, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh Sweet Jesus," Calleigh drawled. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"  
  
"Yeah." Leanna took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. "Look, whatever's going on between the two of you......."  
  
"There's nothing going on between us," Calleigh cut her off, "Why, what did he tell you?"  
  
"He didn't tell me anything, Calleigh, but I'm not stupid," Leanna's tone was defensive. "I know you're in love with him, and it's not my...."  
  
Calleigh cut her off again, scoffing at Leanna's suggestion that she was in love with Tim. "I am not," she spat out.  
  
Leanna shut her laptop and picked it up from the table. "Try telling that to someone hasn't been in love with him."  
  
"Are you still?" Calleigh glared at her, then repeated. "Are you still in love with him?"  
  
Leanna laughed bitterly and shook her head, pushing open the break room door, leaving Calleigh with her answer, alone to fight back another round of tears.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~  
  
Horatio pushed the hotel room door open, allowing Leanna to step inside the first crime scene. Tim hung back in the doorway, watching her move through the room.  
  
"The husband was here?" she asked Horatio. Leanna pointed to a bloodstain near the foot of the bed, "and the wife here?"  
  
He nodded. "He was prepared," she continued. "Anticipated their every movement. The couple got onto the bed," she explained. "Wife here, husband probably kneeling or sitting behind her." She pointed to their respective positions. "The killer approaches the wife. Did you find any threads or fibers on the wife's hands?" she asked Tim.  
  
"No, why?" he asked curiously.  
  
"This couple was anticipating some kind of sexual relations with our killer. I just can't believe that she didn't touch him at some point."  
  
"We know the guy cleaned up after himself," Tim stated.  
  
"The wife was most likely wearing lipstick. Guy probably counted on the fact that the ME would remove her make-up in post, getting rid of any and all skin cells that might have sloughed off during a kiss."  
  
Tim ran a hand through his unruly hair and sighed. "He knows forensics. Exactly what we're looking for."  
  
Leanna nodded. "He's calculating and cocky. Probably thinks we're idiots for not having caught him yet. But he's scared too. He takes his time cleaning up, doesn't want to miss anything."  
  
"What about the rapes?" Horatio questioned. "What's your take on that?"  
  
"They've come back here from Tremolar, dancing all night, bodies rubbing against one another, pulsating music, alcohol – anybody in their right mind would be turned on. They get back here, getting ready for a wild night. And our killer can't deliver."  
  
"Why can't he?" Tim asked.  
  
She shook her head, "We may not know that till we meet him. Maybe he can't get an erection, maybe he's not very well-endowed, maybe he's got some kind of problem where he just can't have sex."  
  
"And he's hacked off because he can't get it up, so he kills the couple who turned him on in the first place?"  
  
She grinned at him. "Exactly."  
  
"What instigates the killing?"  
  
Leanna shrugged. "Maybe they laugh at him, make fun of him. And he knows they're going to do it. It's part of the game with him. He picks a beautiful young couple, people used to getting what they want."  
  
"But why?"  
  
Leanna stood in front of Tim, leaning in close to his ear. "For the orgasm," she whispered.  
  
He swallowed hard, affected both by her words and her close proximity. Visions of her face when she climaxed raced through his mind, and his voice cracked just slightly as he stammered, "What?"  
  
She grinned. "We're all adults here, right?"  
  
Tim nodded furiously and Horatio smirked, thoroughly enjoying the Leanna's taunting. She continued, "The thrill of making love, the excitement. The intense emotion that rips through your entire body when you're about to climax – is how our killer gets off. Raping her, however he's doing it, that's just the intercourse. The killing is the orgasm."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*  
  
"My brain hurts, and I'm tired," Leanna complained, stepping into the hallway. Horatio had just ended the team's latest meeting on their killer. With only two full days left before they expected the killer to strike again, Horatio was putting the investigation into overdrive.  
  
"I'm starving," Tim countered, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
  
She nodded in agreement, "I'm that too."  
  
Tim started to say something; then changed his mind. "What?" she questioned.  
  
"Nothing, it's just that we're both hungry, and I remember that eating alone isn't your favorite thing."  
  
"Tim, I don't want to argue with you anymore," she said weakly.  
  
"I don't want to argue with you either, Lea," he said, taking her hand. It felt so right in his and Tim ran his fingers over hers. "I actually had something else in mind."  
  
Leanna sighed. "Tim, I don't know if this is such a good idea."  
  
"You don't even know what I have planned and you're already saying it's not a good idea," he laughed. "Trust me," he begged gently.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
Tim opened the door to his apartment and led Leanna inside. He shut the door behind them while Leanna looked around in wonder. "You haven't changed much in here," she commented, stepping into the living room.  
  
"I took down all the photos of us," he answered, stepping up behind her and moving her hair away from her shoulder with his finger.  
  
She inhaled sharply and closed her eyes. His simple motion stirred an overwhelming feeling of desire deep inside her. "I noticed," she said quietly.  
  
Tim smiled and walked into what was once their kitchen, flipping the light on near the refrigerator. "Spaghetti okay?" he asked, opening the refrigerator door and taking out a bottle of wine.  
  
Leanna maneuvered around the kitchen, taking out the spaghetti pot and filling it with water. Tim's mind flashed back to countless nights in the kitchen, Leanna whipping up some new recipe and Tim sitting on a barstool keeping her company. It felt so right, so natural, having her here again.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked, finally noticing what she was doing. He took the pot from her and handed her a glass of red wine.  
  
"Making spaghetti," she answered with a look of amazement.  
  
"I'm cooking," he corrected her, placing the pot on the burner and turning it on.  
  
"Tim Speedle, cooking me dinner." She took a sip of the fruity wine and grinned, "I never thought I'd live to see the day."  
  
"Why does everybody think I can't cook?" he said irritably, tossing the pasta into a pot of boiling water "My father does own not just one restaurant, but a whole chain."  
  
"We lived together for two years, Tim. I never saw you so much as pick up a spatula."  
  
"You seemed to enjoy cooking so much, I didn't want you to know I was a better cook than you," he teased.  
  
"Ha!" she scoffed. "At least I didn't set my father's restaurant on fire."  
  
He planted his hands firmly on the counter next to the stove and glared at her. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.  
  
She grinned devilishly. "Little Timmy Speedle, not more than eight years old, decides he's going to make a Mother's Day breakfast." She was teasing him now, and he relished every moment of it. He leaned against the counter and stirred the pot. "Everything was going fine, until Timmy decides to spray the frying pan.........."  
  
He cut her off, "Which I'd seen my father do a million times."  
  
"Not with the burners on," she laughed, the sound music to his ears.  
  
He swallowed the grin forming on his lips and feigned insult, "Okay, now I've had it."  
  
"And why did you think you needed all FOUR burners on, Tim?"  
  
"Shut up," he said playfully.  
  
"Really, now that's just overkill," she teased, her green eyes twinkling with her laughter.  
  
"Lea, I'm warning you."  
  
She leaned in closer to him and whispered, "Living in New York had its advantages. Your parents told me everything. I hear the fire department said it was one of the biggest fires they'd seen all year."  
  
"You are in so much trouble now, woman." He grabbed Leanna by the wrists and pulled her close to his body. She was collapsing in a fit of laughter and he spun them around and pinned her against the counter. "Whatcha gonna do now, Le-Le?"  
  
Their bodies were pressed so close together not even air could fit between them. Tim had caught their hands between their bodies and his fingers rested on the swell of her breasts. Leanna's hands splayed out on his chest and she fingered the soft fabric of his shirt. He wanted desperately to kiss her, to feel her lips on his again, to taste the sweetness that defined her. His eyes locked on hers and what he saw behind her eyes sent him over the edge. "Lea," he said quietly, nuzzling the tip of his nose to hers.  
  
Leanna closed her eyes against the voices screaming in her head. Her stomach tumbled and their lips touched, just briefly. Oh God, her head reasoned, somebody has to stop this, now. "Tim......," she said weakly.  
  
Her eyes were sad and apologetic when he pulled away, spilling over with the longing and regret she felt.  
  
Dejected, he released her from the counter and went back to stirring the pot. "Old habits die hard, I guess," he laughed bitterly.  
  
Leanna hung her head and swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I shouldn't have been teasing you like that."  
  
He emptied a jar of spaghetti sauce into a smaller pot. "No, it's fine."  
  
She placed a hand on his shoulder, and leaned toward him. "Tim?"  
  
"Leanna." Tim only called her by her first name when he was upset. "I said it's fine."  
  
She removed her hand from his shoulder and backed away from the counter. "Maybe I should go."  
  
Tim shook his head and laughed bitterly. "Yeah, that will fix everything, won't it, Lea? Leaving?"  
  
"I never wanted to leave you, Tim, and you know it," she answered. "I'm not having this fight with you again."  
  
"Who is he, Lea?" he asked.  
  
"His name is Jonathan," she answered.  
  
"Jonathan, what?" Tim asked bitterly.  
  
"You going to do a background check on him or something?" she asked sarcastically.  
  
He glared at her; then began gently seasoning the sauce.  
  
"Parks," she answered quietly. "Jonathan Parks."  
  
"He a fed too?"  
  
She nodded. "I met him when I transferred to D.C. He's a field agent."  
  
"How long?"  
  
"A little less than a year. How about you and Calleigh?"  
  
Tim wondered how she could possibly know about he and Calleigh. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Leanna rolled her eyes, "Christ, Tim, I'm not stupid."  
  
"I'm not involved with Calleigh," he said defensively.  
  
"But you're sleeping with her?"  
  
Tim stirred the sauce slowly before answering, considering just how much he wanted to tell her. She'd always been able to see through his lies and this time wouldn't be different. "Every once in a while," he finally admitted.  
  
"She's in love with you," Leanna said quietly.  
  
Tim turned to face Leanna, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing her suspiciously. "And how exactly do you know this?"  
  
"It's written all over her face, Tim. Open your eyes," she laughed.  
  
He turned back to the stove. "I'm not in love with her," he said, shaking pepper into the sauce defiantly, and then slamming the jar back onto the counter.  
  
"I didn't say you were." Leanna crossed her arms over her chest. "But for the record, why aren't you?"  
  
"Because I'm in love with somebody else," he sighed and leaned back on the counter. "And I have been for a very long time."  
  
"Some other girlfriend I don't know about?" she spat out, then instantly regretted her outburst. She had no right to be jealous of whoever he was in love with.  
  
"Yeah, that's it, Lea, another girlfriend you don't know anything about," he answered sarcastically.  
  
"Then who?" she asked quietly, dreading the answer she knew he was about to give her. When he didn't answer, she finished his thought for him. "Me?" she asked quietly.  
  
He smiled weakly. "I guess that's why they pay you the big bucks, Lea."  
  
Even though she'd anticipated his answer, Leanna still felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She bolted out of the kitchen, unable to deal with Tim's revelation.  
  
"Leanna?" he raced out of the kitchen behind her, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around to face him. The sight of tears streaming down her beautiful face left him heartbroken. "God, Baby, I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered.  
  
"Why?" she asked painfully.  
  
He took her face in his hands, wiping her tears with the pad of his thumb. "I swear to you, I've tried to stop loving you, but I can't," he answered honestly.  
  
Leanna brought her fists up to his chest in an effort to push him away. "Everything would have been fine if I hadn't come back here."  
  
"But you did," he argued, capturing her wrists. "You did come back."  
  
"No," she shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face. "You can't love me, Tim. You can't. I don't want you to," she sobbed.  
  
Tim touched his forehead to hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do you love him, Leanna? Just look me in the eyes and tell me that you love him, and we'll never talk about this again. You can go back to D.C, marry Jonathan and have a great life, but I promise you, it won't be half as good as the life you could have with me."  
  
Leanna's sobs wracked her body and she collapsed slowly to the floor, pulling Tim down with her. "I can't do this," she cried, "I can't."  
  
"Do you love him?" Tim asked again, more urgently this time, gathering her into his lap. Leanna struggled against his grasp, then relented, sinking deep into his embrace.  
  
"Please stop," she begged, resting her head against his shoulder. "Please just stop." He couldn't tell if she was talking to him or to herself, but he held her there for what seemed like an eternity, gently rocking her and kissing the top of her head, quieting the sobs and tremors while she cried.  
  
"I'm tired," she said sometime later, her voice void of emotion. "Take me back to the hotel." 


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Horatio paused at the entrance to the break room, weighing his desire to retain his sanity against his desire to know what was going on with certain members of his team. Leanna had come in that morning, detouring Speed's trace lab, planting herself in the break room, huddling over the stacks of photos again. Speed's eyes were bloodshot and he was in a horrible mood. Horatio had seen him nearly walk into the breakroom for a cup of coffee, but he'd seen Leanna there and turned the other direction. It was obvious to Horatio that not only was Speed avoiding Leanna; he was also avoiding Calleigh – who was biting everyone's head off, including his.  
  
"You're going through those photos again?" Horatio questioned Leanna, pressing his luck and entering the break room for a cup of coffee.  
  
She nodded vigorously. "I missed something in the pictures. I dreamed about it all night, the faces swirling in my dreams and I kept coming up with the hands. Normally a person doesn't think to disguise their hands."  
  
She handed him two photographs. "Tell me what you see."  
  
He looked quickly at the photographs and handed them back to her. "I see two different guys who could possibly be wearing disguises, but we can't prove it." He smiled warmly.  
  
"You can prove it. Look closer," she demanded, pushing the photographs toward him again. "Concentrate on the hands."  
  
Horatio studied the pictures carefully this time. "Are these guys wearing the same ring?"  
  
She beamed. "Yes, he is."  
  
"I'll be damned." Horatio exclaimed, leaning back in his chair. He handed the photographs back to her, taking notice of her left hand. The engagement ring was missing. Horatio chose to ignore this – for now. "Well, we finally have a lead," he said.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
"Leanna has discovered that two of the men who approached two of our couples were wearing the same ring," Horatio stated, sliding copies of the photographs to each member of his team.  
  
"Same guy on different nights," Eric mused. "How did we miss that?"  
  
"I'll be," Calleigh drawled, examining the photographs. "He must really like this ring a lot to be caught with it on twice."  
  
"That's what we're hoping," Horatio began to explain. "Now that we have something tangible to look for, we're going to send everyone into the club. Four couples, posing as newlyweds – Tim and Leanna; Eric and Valera; John and Yelina; and Calleigh, you're with me."  
  
John continued to detail the plan. "Two couples will go in the first night. The rest of you will be working in the surveillance van, tapped into the club's security system. Since it's easier to hide earpieces under a lot of hair, the girls will wear them, along with these."  
  
John handed each woman a small box. Calleigh opened hers first, gingerly picking up a delicate silver charm necklace. "Aw, John, you shouldn't have," she teased.  
  
"Actually, there's a wireless camera and microphone inside that charm, but you're welcome anyway," he grinned.  
  
"We'll meet back here at ten o'clock," Horatio stated, "Eric, Valera, John and Yelina re in the club tonight. The rest of you – come dressed for a stakeout."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*  
  
"Hello patrons of Club Tremolar," Tim called out, having finally gotten Valera and Yelina's camera online. "I'll be playing God for the evening," he teased into his microphone. Vibrations on both Valera and Yelina's feed signaled their laughter.  
  
"A truly frightening thought, Speed," Horatio was grateful for the improvement in his protégé's mood when Tim grinned at the comment. Now if he could just work on Calleigh and Leanna.  
  
"Leanna," Horatio said casually. "I'm going to get some coffee. Care to join me?"  
  
"Sure," she said, grateful for the opportunity to get out of the van for a while and away from Tim. She'd managed to avoid him for most of the day, and she still didn't know what to say to him. Plus, she was racked with guilt for almost kissing him and for allowing him to comfort her in such an intimate way.  
  
Horatio offered her a hand as she crawled out of the van, then turned his attention to the remaining members of his team. "Calleigh, Tim?"  
  
"Two sugars," Calleigh responded.  
  
"Black," Tim answered.  
  
Horatio and Leanna walked in silence for about a block. "Talk to me," he gently commanded. "What's going on with you, Tim and Calleigh?"  
  
Leanna stopped. "I can't, and won't, speak for Tim and Calleigh."  
  
Horatio placed his hands on his hips. He looked at her squarely and nodded. "Okay. Speak for yourself."  
  
Leanna took a deep cleansing breath and smoothed the front of her jeans. "Tim and I had a fight. No big shock there."  
  
He smiled. "What was the fight about?"  
  
"Everything. My relationship with Jonathan, Tim's relationship with Calleigh, our relationship together........"  
  
The remark caught him off guard. "Hold up. Tim's relationship with Calleigh?"  
  
She nodded. "Tim says it's nothing serious, but I get different vibes from Calleigh."  
  
Horatio was stunned. The thought of Speed and Calleigh together had never even so much as crossed his mind. He knew she'd gone out with John Hagen, but that was over and done months ago. He'd always thought, he'd always hoped.......  
  
"Horatio?" Leanna questioned. She had started walking again, leaving Horatio nearly half a block behind. He jogged to catch up. His eyes stared at the pavement as they continued walking, processing this new information, looking for the signs he might have missed.  
  
"Oh my God," Leanna exclaimed, observing Horatio's distress. "You're in love with her."  
  
He was startled by her accusation. "What?"  
  
"Calleigh," she stated. "You are in love with Calleigh."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*  
  
Calleigh flipped nervously through a magazine while Speed concentrated on the video screens, checking Valera and Yelina's camera feeds against the club security system. A picture of the ring was taped to each monitor, just in case.  
  
Speed glanced back at Calleigh, who glared at him when their eyes met. She turned back to her magazine, praying that Horatio would return soon. "Calleigh," he said finally, swinging the chair around to face her.  
  
"Stop talking, Speed. Right now. Do not talk to me," she demanded.  
  
He ignored her, desperate to explain. "We were engaged, Cal, four years ago. Things ended badly, mostly because I was a stupid hotheaded kid. I loved her so much, Cal."  
  
"Tim," she responded harshly, cutting him off and slamming the magazine onto the floor. "I don't care."  
  
"I know I've hurt you and I know you hate me right now," he pleaded, "but please understand, I never meant for any of this to happen, but I still love...."  
  
The van door clicked and swung open, cutting off the rest of Tim's sentence.  
  
"We're back." Horatio's words were merciful to Calleigh's ears. She smiled and took the cup he offered her. "Two sugars, just the way you like it."  
  
"Thanks," she said, pulling the lid off the top and inhaling the fresh aroma. "Mmm, I love Brennan's coffee."  
  
"I know," Horatio smiled, "you mentioned it once."  
  
"I did?" Calleigh returned his smile, dumbfounded by his reply. She couldn't recall having told Horatio how much she liked this particular coffee house, but apparently she had. Horatio always surprised her like that, remembering the smallest details.  
  
Speed took his coffee from Leanna, allowing his hand to linger on hers for a moment. Their eyes met and Tim noticed that the sparkle in Leanna's green eyes was gone, clouded over with pain – pain he had caused her. He'd turned her entire world upside down by admitting that he still loved her. But he couldn't, he just couldn't, allow her to go back to Washington without knowing how he felt – whatever the cost.  
  
He also noticed when she pulled her hand away that she wasn't wearing Jonathan's engagement ring. He wondered if it had been missing from her hand all day.  
  
Leanna glanced over Tim's shoulder at the screen. Leaning over him, she spoke into the microphone. "Yelina, go back to the right for a minute."  
  
Yelina responded, turning toward John. Leanna continued, "The blonde guy at two o'clock. He's wearing the black shirt and blue jeans."  
  
"What about him?" Tim questioned, causing Horatio and Calleigh to jump up behind them.  
  
"Just a feeling. Try to get his attention, Yelina."  
  
Yelina discreetly maneuvered herself and John into the blonde's line of sight. After a few moments, she finally captured his attention. He smiled at her, but didn't seem very interested.  
  
"Guess he doesn't like Latin women," Yelina mused. "Maybe we try Valera."  
  
Valera had no more luck with the blonde than Yelina did, although he seemed quite interested in Eric, even buying him a drink toward the end of the evening, much to Tim's delight and lightening the mood in the van significantly.  
  
Yelina teased, "I guess I was right, he doesn't like Latin WOMEN."  
  
Eric mouthed, "I hate you," into Valera's camera. She'd apparently told him how hard Tim was laughing.  
  
"I wouldn't laugh too hard there, fella," Leanna warned. "Some guy may very well be hitting on you tomorrow."  
  
A little while later, Yelina, John, Eric and Valera emerged from the club. Horatio reminded everyone that this was just the first night, they'd be right back here tomorrow. He then sent the group home, giving everyone the morning off.  
  
Leanna excused herself from the group quickly, fighting the exhaustion tugging at her eyelids, hoping that she wouldn't fall asleep behind the wheel on the way to the hotel.  
  
Speed jogged up behind her, finally catching up to her when she reached her rental car. "Lea?"  
  
"I'm tired, Tim," she said weakly.  
  
Tim placed his hands on her shoulders as she unlocked the door and pressed his forehead to the back of her hair. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of vanilla emanating from her auburn curls. "I know, baby, just, just wait a minute."  
  
Leanna fought back the sensations coursing through her body from his gentle touch. She breathed a heavy sigh and turned to face him. Even though her brow was furrowed and her shoulders heavy with burden, she was still the most exquisite thing he'd ever laid eyes on.  
  
Tim traced the side of her face with his finger. "God, you are so beautiful," he marveled, his eyes dancing with the love he felt for her.  
  
"Tim," she said, exasperated.  
  
"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I just wanted to say what I should have said four years ago. Lea, I will always love you, and I promise I will support your decision."  
  
"Thank you," she said quietly, turning and reaching for the door handle, and wishing desperately he'd made that promise four years ago instead.  
  
Overjoyed that she hadn't slapped him or pushed him away, he continued, "I want to pick you up tomorrow, Lea, before we go to the club."  
  
She turned to face him again, but wouldn't look at him as her eyes darted around the parking lot, considering his request. She finally leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Okay," she said, climbing into the car. 


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Tim opened his sock drawer and pulled out a small red velvet box. Opening the lid, he admired the two rings inside. The wedding bands were made of heavy white gold. Leanna had fallen in love with them because, although they looked plain when you were looking directly at them, small diamonds were mounted in the top and bottom edges of the rings, giving them just the tiniest bit of sparkle.  
  
He remembered how happy she'd been the day they'd bought the rings, how her face would light up when she'd tell people they were getting married. The wedding was scheduled and everything had been going according to plan, until the day Leanna arrived home and found a message on the answering machine from Tom Michaels, an FBI recruiter at Quantico. They wanted her – immediately.  
  
Leanna had taken the test almost a year before Michaels' phone call, a couple of months before Tim had proposed. He had just assumed when she'd agreed to marry him that she'd given up on her dream of getting into the FBI. He was wrong. He remembered her face that day, beaming as she replayed the message over and over.  
  
Tim slid his ring on, relishing the feel of the smooth metal against his finger, stretching his fingers to get used to the weight. Horatio had bought the rest of his teams bands to wear at the club, but Tim had refused, without Leanna's knowledge. He placed the other ring in his pocket, hoping that Leanna wouldn't shove it down his throat when she saw it. He chuckled at the thought, entering the living room and picking up his keys off the kitchen counter.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Leanna stepped in front of the full-length mirror and studied her reflection. "What on earth possessed me to buy this dress?" she said aloud, a frown set on her features. She smoothed the silky printed fabric with her fingers. Sighing heavily, she lifted the onyx necklace John had given her and examined it. Feeling fairly confident she'd discovered which side the camera and microphone were on, she slid the lariat around her throat and fastened the clasp behind her hair.  
  
"Just a minute," she answered the knock at her door. She found Tim standing on the other side, clean-shaven and very handsome in a black button down shirt and charcoal suit.  
  
Leanna was a vision before him. Auburn curls hung loose across her shoulders, hiding the black spaghetti straps of her dress, which hugged every curve of her body. Tim wet his lips and fought back the overwhelming desire to rid her of the dress altogether. "Wow," he said, "You, uh, look amazing."  
  
Leanna blushed under his intense gaze. "Thanks," she muttered. "I have to get my shoes."  
  
"I thought you looked a little short," he teased. Tim swallowed hard as he watched her sit down on the bed and lean over don the high-heeled black slides, cleavage softly spilling out of the deep v-neck of her slip dress.  
  
"Okay," she stood up, barreling him back to reality. "I'm ready."  
  
"Not exactly," he argued gently, stepping in front of her.  
  
"What are you talking about?" she asked curiously, "Hair's fixed, makeup's done, I'm dressed and I've got the necklace on."  
  
He chuckled lightly. "You're missing the most important piece." Tim slipped his hand into his pants pocket and pulled out her ring, holding it between two fingers in front of her.  
  
Leanna was speechless. Her eyes darted between Tim and the ring. "That can't possibly be..." she stammered.  
  
Tim lifted her left hand gently and slid her wedding ring into place. Leanna held her breath as she watched him. There was so much love in his eyes, she was overcome with emotion, and soft tears began spilling down her cheeks.  
  
"It is," he answered finally, offering her a lop-sided smile. He then captured her left hand with his own, tracing her wedding band with his finger. "This is the way he should be, Lea," he whispered, using their intertwined fingers to wipe her tears.  
  
Leanna rose up slightly on her toes until her face was even with his and brushed her lips softly over his. Tim heard himself moan as he slowly wrapped an arm around her waist, while bringing another up to her hair, then touching his lips to hers again.  
  
Leanna sought to deepen their kiss, tracing the outline of his lips with her tongue. He parted them slightly, caressing her face while they explored one another, tongues touching, tasting, dancing, remembering.  
  
"I love you," he said finally when they'd run out of air.  
  
Leanna nodded and sniffled. "I love you too, Tim."  
  
"Marry me." It wasn't a question, but a gentle demand. "Now that you're here and I know that you love me, I don't think I could live if I lost you again." His voice broke, and Leanna noticed the tears begging for release from his eyes.  
  
"You will never, ever lose me," she promised fiercely. "Never again."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The pounding techno music was overwhelming as they stepped into the club. Tim nodded discreetly at Horatio and led Leanna towards the bar. "We need a drink," he told her. "To blend in."  
  
"White wine," she answered, kissing him quickly. "Stay here," he mouthed, stretching their joined hands out as far as he could, releasing her at the last possible moment from his grasp.  
  
Leanna had caught herself staring at her wedding ring so many times since Tim had slipped it on her finger; she'd completely lost count. It felt so right, she never wanted to take it off. She tore her eyes away from her finger for a moment and began searching the crowd for the other ring – the one possibly belonging to their killer.  
  
"I don't think this is going to work," Tim stepped behind her and spoke into her ear. "I only have eyes for you." Leanna blushed and he kissed her cheek, handing her the wine.  
  
"Well, you two definitely win the Oscar for best newlywed couple," Eric's voice teased. Leanna laughed.  
  
"What?" Tim asked suspiciously.  
  
"Eric," she explained, leaning in close to him, "he says we look good married."  
  
"Hell yeah," he grinned, kissing her softly. "I love you."  
  
Leanna noticed Calleigh staring at them out of the corner of her eye. "She's not taking this very well," Leanna noted seriously. Tim glanced back at Horatio and Calleigh. "No," he sighed. "But she knew I didn't love her."  
  
Leanna smiled weakly and touched his cheek. "That didn't stop her from loving you, though."  
  
Tim shook his head. "I tried to explain things last night. She didn't want to hear any of it."  
  
"She's gonna need some time, Tim. I think in the end, she'll want you to be happy." She noticed Calleigh heading to the restroom and decided to follow. "I'm going to go powder my nose."  
  
Leanna made her way through the crowd, checking faces against the pictures in her head and glancing discreetly for the ring. She pushed open the door of the restroom, resting her purse on the counter top. Leanna pulled her lipstick out of the bag, re-applying the shiny nude color to her lips.  
  
Calleigh stepped out of a stall and glared at Leanna, turning on the faucet and slipping her hands under the water.  
  
"For what it's worth, Calleigh, I'm sorry," Leanna said honestly.  
  
Calleigh laughed bitterly. "You have nothing to be sorry for. He's been yours all along."  
  
Leanna leaned against the counter. "Okay, then I'm sorry that you got hurt."  
  
Calleigh considered her words for a moment. "You'll forgive me if I don't accept the apology, Leanna."  
  
Calleigh made a break for the door, but Leanna stopped her. Calleigh stared up at the taller woman, and gritted her teeth. "Get out of my way."  
  
Leanna crossed her arms. "Not until you believe that I'm sincere."  
  
Calleigh frowned. "You know, Leanna, there's a killer out there, and I'll be damned if I'm going to stand here arguing with you while he gets another couple." Calleigh pushed Leanna aside and stalked out the door.  
  
Calleigh fell into her seat next to Horatio, biting back tears and fighting to regain control of her breathing. "Calleigh?" Horatio questioned. "Are you okay?"  
  
She smiled her best fake smile at Horatio. "I'm fine. Thank you for asking." She jumped when Horatio stroked her cheek with his fingers.  
  
"Calleigh, relax," he encouraged, "I'm supposed to be your husband."  
  
She did as she was told and leaned into Horatio's body. "You're right, Handsome," she drawled, placing a tiny kiss on his nose. "I'm sorry."  
  
A smile tugged at Horatio's lips as she teased him. He whispered into her ear, "Have I told you yet how incredibly beautiful you look tonight?"  
  
Horatio delighted in the way Calleigh's face lit up at the compliment. Her smile was genuine this time and she laughed. "No, but I'm certainly not going to stop you."  
  
He blushed, "Well, then let me say it, my darling, you are simply stunning."  
  
"You confronted her, didn't you?" Tim asked as Leanna returned to his side, a frown creasing her beautiful features.  
  
"Yes," she said irritably.  
  
"And how did that go?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
Leanna took a long sip of her wine. "Not good."  
  
Tim laughed. "You should have taken your own advice and given her some time."  
  
"Hey, Leanna?" Eric's voice startled her. "Check out that guy to your left. Short, black, military style cut - just like in one of those photos. He keeps staring at you."  
  
"I see him," she confirmed. She leaned into Tim's ear. "Potential right behind you, babe."  
  
Tim glanced discreetly over his shoulder, making eye contact with the man in question and titling his head up in acknowledgment. The man raised his glass to Tim and Leanna.  
  
Tim turned back to Leanna, bringing his beer to his lips. "He's got a ring on, Lea."  
  
"Um-hum. He's coming over here," she said through her smile.  
  
"Hi," the man extended his hand to Tim. "I'm James."  
  
"Tim, and this is my wife Leanna." Tim wrapped a protective arm around her waist.  
  
"You guys local?" James asked uneasily.  
  
Tim didn't particularly care for the way James was clearing undressing Leanna with his eyes, and tightened his grip on her waist. "No, you?"  
  
"Yeah," James responded. "I'm a photographer." He handed Tim a business card. "I specialize in nudes, but not that kinky stuff they put out in those men's magazines. Tasteful, beautiful stuff," he explained. He leaned in close to Tim's ear. "Your wife is gorgeous, man, I'd really like to shoot her. How long are you guys in town?"  
  
"Couple more days," Tim answered vaguely.  
  
"That's an interesting ring," Leanna noted, staring at James' hand, hoping to get a better look at it.  
  
James looked down. "Oh, thank you." He took it off and handed it to her. "It's very intricate. My grandfather was a jewelry maker in Ireland. He hand-crafted this ring for himself and a matching one for my grandmother when they got married."  
  
Leanna examined the ring, holding it as close as possible to the camera around her neck. She heard Eric sigh heavily in her ear, followed by the dreaded words, "It's not a match."  
  
"It's beautiful." Leanna handed the ring back to him. Tim got Leanna's unspoken message.  
  
"Well, we'll keep the photo thing in mind, man." Tim turned back to his beer.  
  
Horatio and Calleigh held their breath, watching the scene unfold before them. "Damn," Calleigh sighed, inhaling sharply and turning to Horatio. "It's not a match."  
  
Horatio stroked her cheek affectionately. "That's okay, Beautiful. We've got a long night ahead of us."  
  
They headed out of the club hours later, just moments before the bouncer had to throw everyone out. Tim and Leanna had left fifteen minutes before, surrendering her earpiece to Eric on the way to their cab. "Calleigh," Eric called into her ear, "look straight ahead."  
  
"Um-hum," she whispered quietly. A tall man with shaggy blonde hair approached them. "I'm sorry," he smiled brightly. "I've been watching the two of you all night, and I knew I'd just kick myself in the morning if I didn't say hello."  
  
"Well, hello, then," Calleigh said playfully.  
  
"Hi," he said nervously. "I'm Vincent."  
  
Horatio extended his hand to Vincent, who shook it firmly. Horatio felt a solid band on Vincent's right hand. "I'm Horatio, and this is my beautiful wife Calleigh."  
  
"Yes, she is," Vincent agreed. "May I ask, are you two newlyweds?"  
  
Calleigh beamed at Horatio. "Why yes, as a matter of fact. How did you know that?"  
  
Vincent tapped the side of his head with his right hand. "I have a sixth- sense about these things."  
  
"Wow, what a cool ring!" Calleigh exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like that."  
  
Vincent extended his hand to her. "Yeah, isn't it great? It's an antique - I don't know the whole story behind it, but it's a hell of a conversation starter."  
  
"It's a match!" Eric nearly screamed in Calleigh's ear. "That's him, Cal!"  
  
Calleigh grinned. "Well, then let's start a conversation, Vincent." Horatio stepped behind him, removing his handcuffs from his belt. Calleigh continued as Horatio captured Vincent's wrists. "It goes a little something like this - you are under arrest for the murders of Stacy & Brian Jerrod, James & Lori Andrews, Steve & Dianna Van Pelt and Max & Lucy Davidson. You have the right to remain silent."  
  
"What is this?" Vincent exclaimed, struggling against Horatio's firm grasp. "Why are you handcuffing me?"  
  
"You should have left the ring at home, Vincent. As I was saying, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."  
  
Calleigh continued mirandizing Vincent as Horatio hauled him outside and into a waiting patrol car.  
  
Horatio tossed Vincent into the car, shutting the door and tapping the hood. He turned to Calleigh, lifting her into his arms. "We got him!" he exclaimed, twirling her around.  
  
"Horatio!" she laughed, "Put me down!"  
  
He sat her gently back on the pavement and captured her face in his hands. He planted a firm kiss squarely on her lips.  
  
"H?" Eric had jumped out of the van with Valera, Hagen and Yelina in tow, and now stared at his boss in confusion.  
  
Horatio whipped around, joy spreading across his face. He grabbed Eric and hugged him tight. "I'd kiss you too, but honestly, I don't like you that much!"  
  
"Thank God for that," Eric said, pulling away from Horatio.  
  
Valera laughed as Horatio kissed Calleigh again, this time lingering just a tiny bit longer. Then he kissed her forehead. "We got him, Cal," he said against her smooth skin, holding her tight against him.  
  
Calleigh pulled away from him and gazed into his blue eyes. "Yes, we did," she said brightly. 


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"I can't work this stupid thing with you doing that," Leanna said, struggling with the key card for the hotel room while Tim sucked gently on her neck.  
  
"Figure it out," he demanded, "Cause I'm not stopping."  
  
"Oh," she moaned as his tongue tickled the soft spot where her neck and shoulders met. She pressed her hands against the door and Tim tightened his grip on her waist. "Now that's just not fair," she complained.  
  
Sticking the card in the slot one last time before she gave up and let him make love to her in the hall, she almost cried when she heard the merciful click. Tim pushed the door open with one hand and scooped Leanna into his arms, continuing his oral assault on the spot.  
  
He laid her gently in the center of the bed and stood to remove his jacket. He then slid her shoes off, allowing them to fall on the carpeted floor with a thunk. "Hey, those weren't cheap, buster," she teased, caressing the bulge in his pants with her foot. He groaned deeply and captured the foot, kissing a wet trail over her ankle, up her calf and onto her thigh, slowly aligning his body with hers.  
  
Her hand picked up where the foot had left off, caressing and massaging him through the fabric of his pants. She sensed his growing need, releasing the restraints of his slacks, sliding her hand beneath the waistband of boxers, finding him hard and throbbing. "I love you," he moaned as her fingers enveloped him.  
  
"Show me," she demanded, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth as she kissed him. She guided his hand under her dress, silently begging to be touched. He pushed the tiny fabric of her thong aside, dipping his finger into her silky wetness. She cried his name with all the passion he remembered and more, riding his finger as she stroked him with one hand and unbuttoned his shirt with the other.  
  
"I want to see you, Lea," he said, sliding his finger out of her and quieting her cries with a kiss that promised so much more. "I want to do this right," he explained, sitting up and pulling her onto his lap, so that her legs were straddling his.  
  
He slowly unzipped her dress, kissing the flesh he exposed as he drew the spaghetti straps down. She let the fabric slink down her body, revealing a perfection he had thought he might never see again. His heart seemed to stop as he touched her alabaster skin, so perfect, so creamy beneath his fingers. Reaching for the hem of the dress, he raised it over her head, capturing a taut nipple in his mouth.  
  
"Make love to me, Tim," she cried, rocking against him. Sliding his shirt past his shoulders, she traced the outline of his ear with her tongue, eliciting a groan from deep within him. "Make love to me," she whispered.  
  
He stood, spinning them around and placing her on the bed again. He quickly shed his slacks and boxers, and marveled at her beauty while she waited for him. He leaned over her, placing small kisses on her abdomen, guiding the thongs down her legs and onto the floor.  
  
He nudged her legs further apart with his knee and came to rest between them. He slipped two fingers inside her again, preparing her body for his. His thumb brushed her clit and Leanna came undone. He grinned at her writhing beneath him, riding his fingers with near-desperation as he stroked her. "Slow down, baby," he encouraged.  
  
She captured his face in her hands and looked deeply into his eyes. "Next time," she demanded. Tim happily obliged, raising her buttocks as he reached down to join them.  
  
The shrill ring of the hotel phone shattered the moment, just before Tim buried himself inside her.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me!" she cried, wriggling out from under him and reaching for the phone. "WHAT?" she demanded of the caller.  
  
Her attention was captured and she sat up, listening as Horatio detailed the evening's events. Tim was oblivious, suckling her neck and tracing circles over her breast.  
  
"Okay," she said irritably, "we're on our way."  
  
"I don't think so," Tim responded as Leanna placed the phone back in the cradle. He lifted her onto his lap, letting his hand drift between her legs again. "We aren't going anywhere."  
  
"Tim, stop," she demanded, grabbing for his hand. "Horatio has a suspect in custody."  
  
"I don't care," he said flatly, caressing a breast with his tongue. "I don't have to interrogate suspects."  
  
"Yeah, but I do," she said dejectedly, rising from Tim's lap. She crossed to the dresser and opened the first drawer, taking out a black lace bra and a pair of panties. He stood behind her, lifting her hair from her shoulders to attack the spot again. "All I need is five minutes," he begged, his sex sliding against her bare backside.  
  
She spun to face him. "You're the one who wanted to do this right and now you're begging for five minutes? If we'd gone my speed, we'd be basking in the afterglow," she teased, sliding the panties up her legs and fastening the bra. She kissed him passionately. "Get dressed," she then ordered, tossing him his shirt. "You'll just have to suffer for now."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Glad you could join us," Eric teased when Speed stalked into the break room. "I called your cell phone like 10 times, I, uh, guess you didn't hear it with your pants thrown on the floor."  
  
"You know what?" Tim shot back, pouring a cup of very black coffee and avoiding Calleigh's hardened stare, "You can kiss my ass, Delko. I was asleep," he lied.  
  
Eric collapsed into a fit of laughter. "Oh, okay, is that what we're calling it these days?"  
  
"Eric," Speed warned, shooting a steely glare at his best friend, "Shut up."  
  
"Come on, man, it's me, you can tell me how it was, knocking boots with your lady love," Eric thrust his hips out, causing Calleigh to jump from the couch and run out of the room.  
  
"I told you to shut up," Tim exclaimed, heading out the door after Calleigh.  
  
He found her in the locker room with her head rested on the door, breathing slowly. "Calleigh," he said quietly.  
  
She righted herself and turned to face him. "What's going to happen when Leanna goes back to Washington, Tim?"  
  
Tim straddled the bench and sat down. "She's not going back to Washington."  
  
"Really?" Calleigh crossed her arms. "Have you discussed that?"  
  
"Not yet."  
  
She snickered. "Then what have you discussed, exactly?"  
  
"We're going to get married," he answered honestly.  
  
"She's already engaged, Tim," Calleigh argued. "How can she being marrying this guy in Washington and marrying you too?"  
  
"It's over between her and Jonathan."  
  
Calleigh's expression was smug. "In four years, Leanna doesn't come back to see you one time. She's here less than a week, you two decide you're going to get married, and she just drops the guy in Washington?"  
  
"Something like that, yeah," he answered defensively.  
  
"So, she's going to quit the FBI, leave all her personal belongings in DC, never go back there, never tell her fiancé she's leaving him for you?"  
  
"We haven't made it that far, Calleigh," he said harshly.  
  
"Well, if I were you, I'd get there quick. After all, she didn't back for you, Tim. She came back for this case. We've got the guy in custody. We won't exactly be needing her services in a few days time." Calleigh stormed out of the locker room, leaving Tim in a stunned silence.  
  
Doubts began to flood his mind, and fear crept into his heart. Maybe Calleigh was right. Leanna had come home for the case, not for him. Tim ran a hand through his hair and tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.  
  
A million questions raced through his brain, but one was beginning to haunt him. If she'd fallen back in love with him so easily, would she do the same thing with Jonathan when she went back to Washington?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Nice ring," Horatio commented to his suspect.  
  
Leanna stood at the corner of the room, observing the interrogation. Vincent Wagner sat stoically in his chair, arms crossed firmly at his chest. He was classically handsome, some might even call him beautiful. He was well-groomed and clean shaven, tall and lean. Vincent's eyes where the clearest blue Leanna had ever seen, but they were empty, completely devoid of emotion as he responded to Horatio in a monotone voice.  
  
"I want a lawyer."  
  
"Tell me about the ring, Vincent," Horatio coerced. "It's very unusual."  
  
Vincent laughed in his face. "No."  
  
Eric rapped lightly on the door and handed a stack of papers to Leanna. "This is the best I can do," he said genuinely, "but I'm still working on it."  
  
"Thanks," she smiled, leafing through the papers. "Vincent?" she asked, "is your social security number 405-98-4218?"  
  
"Yes," he answered quickly.  
  
"That's odd, because that number turns up information on a Victoria Wagner. Is she your sister?" Leanna probed.  
  
"I want a lawyer," he repeated each word slowly. "Are you people deaf or something?"  
  
A robust man burst through the interrogation room door. "Max Klein, Mr. Wagner's attorney. I trust you haven't been interrogating my client without his counsel present." He took the seat next to Wagner and opened his briefcase.  
  
"I was just asking Mr. Wagner about his ring, Counselor." Horatio stated simply.  
  
"His ring?" Klein asked incredulously. "What's the matter Caine, lacking for small talk at this ungodly hour of the morning?"  
  
Horatio smiled. "Not at all." He tossed a photograph in front of Klein. "Your client was wearing this ring when he murdered at least four of my eight victims."  
  
Klein scoffed at the suggestion. "These aren't even the same men, Caine. Christ, you're really losing your touch, you know? The great Horatio Caine can't even see that this guy has blonde hair and this guy has dark hair?"  
  
"The ring's the same in both photographs and it's identical to the one your client is wearing," Leanna countered.  
  
"I'd think a woman with your incredible taste in jewelry," he said, spotting the wedding band she still wore, "would realize that even that gorgeous piece you're wearing now most likely isn't one of a kind."  
  
"This is little more than a co-ink-e-dink, Caine," he drawled. "It's four in the morning, I'm going home and I'm taking my client with me."  
  
Horatio stopped Klein as he stood. "Why don't you just hang out here until my team is finished processing Mr. Wagner's home?" He handed Klein the court order, adding, "I don't believe in coincidences."  
  
"Besides that, there a tiny matter of Vincent using someone else's Social Security number." Leanna handed Klein the printout Eric had given her. "The Social Security card we found in Vincent's wallet led us to a Victoria Wagner."  
  
Vincent shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Leanna continued, "I asked Mr. Wagner about it, but he wanted a lawyer."  
  
Klein glumly handed the sheet back to Leanna. "My client is falsely using the social security card. Victoria Wagner is Mr. Wagner's birth name."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Tim photographed Vincent Wagner's desk table before picking up the open journal. "Another night on the prowl," he read aloud, "another woman to pay the price for HER sins."  
  
"The her is emphasized," Calleigh read over his shoulder. "Maybe he means someone else, not the victim?"  
  
"Maybe," He was reluctant to agree, still reeling from their conversation earlier. He bagged the journal and placed it in his field kit.  
  
"What do you make of this?" Eric called, pulling a strap-on penis out of the closet.  
  
"Is that what I think it is?" Tim asked, photographing it as Eric laid it on the bed.  
  
"This is some kinky shit," Eric sighed.  
  
"I've got lots of medical bills - all from a plastic surgeon in Coral Gables," Calleigh stated. "Vincent's had some work done recently. Wow," she exclaimed, examining one of the bills, "A lot of work. This total is almost one hundred thousand dollars."  
  
"If I were a psychopath serial killer, where would I hide a gun?" Tim wondered aloud, lifting the mattress and looking underneath.  
  
"Bedside table?" Calleigh answered, "That's where I keep mine."  
  
Tim opened the nightstand drawer and peered inside. "Well that's not very creative, " Tim frowned. "It's a 9, Cal."  
  
Calleigh took the gun from Speed, bagging it quickly. "I'm off to get a match."  
  
"Later," Eric waved. "Well, lookee what we have here," he said, producing a small knife from a small wooden box he'd found in the back of Vincent's closet.  
  
"I should be really pissed that our genius killer turns out to be such a screw-up. What kind of idiot leaves the murder weapons laying around?" Speed complained.  
  
"Yeah, but at least you and Leanna can get back to knocking boots faster," Eric teased.  
  
"Like you and Valera weren't going after it, all that bumping and grinding you were doing on the dance floor the other night?"  
  
"Man, I never denied it," he shot back. "You're the one who said you were sleeping."  
  
"I thought that's what we were calling it these days?" Tim deadpanned. "Seriously, though, what do you think of Leanna?"  
  
Eric shrugged. "She's great man. Smart, gorgeous, great personality, and she's head over heels in love with you. What more could you want?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Calleigh hummed to herself while comparing the striations on her test fire of Wagner's weapon to the bullets they'd recovered from the husbands. Horatio had quietly entered the lab, and Calleigh just couldn't help it - she began to smile.  
  
"Calleigh?"  
  
"Hello, Handsome."  
  
Horatio grinned. "What do you have for me?"  
  
"Everything you ever wanted and more," she teased, relinquishing the microscope to him. "I have a match."  
  
"Wagner's 9?"  
  
She beamed. "One in the same."  
  
"Good work," he congratulated her.  
  
Calleigh beamed at his compliment. "Well, what can I say?"  
  
"That I can take you to dinner tonight?" he asked cautiously.  
  
Calleigh's smile faded into shock. "What?"  
  
"Dinner. I'd like to take you to dinner, Calleigh." Horatio then offered her one of his melt your heart smiles.  
  
A thousand thoughts raced through Calleigh's mind. Horatio Caine had just asked her out on a date. He'd kissed her, to be sure, but Calleigh had already chalked that up to the moment. "Uh, okay?" she stated, somewhat unsure of herself.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Speed caught up to Leanna and Horatio in the hallway. "Blood on the knife." He handed Horatio the report. "Vincent cleaned it, but he missed the sweet spot between the blood and the handle."  
  
Horatio skimmed the report. "DNA from each of our victims, good job Speed."  
  
Leanna pulled on Tim's shirt playfully. "I could kiss you right now."  
  
Tim turned his cheek when she leaned in. "We're at work, Lea," he said coldly.  
  
She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you okay?"  
  
He nodded. "I'm fine, just a little tired. I'll, uh, catch up with you later."  
  
"Yeah, okay," she answered. Tim headed off to the lab.  
  
Horatio's eyes were wide. "What was that all about?"  
  
Leanna was stunned. "I have no idea. One minute he's asking me to marry him, the next minute he's giving me the cold shoulder."  
  
"Leanna? This might not be the time or the place, but..." Horatio placed his hands on his hips.  
  
Leanna held up her hand to cut him off. "I'm going to request a transfer to the Miami field office, Horatio. I contacted them this morning. I'm going back to Washington for a few days, talk to Jonathan, pack up my stuff, pay my landlord a large fortune to get out of my lease early - then I'm coming home."  
  
"Leanna?"  
  
She placed a hand on his arm. "I love Tim, Horatio. I know now that's never changed. Love that's survived everything we've survived - and for four years - that's love."  
  
Horatio placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "Well then, let me be the first to congratulate you on your engagement." 


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N 1: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re-read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
A/N 2: The Prolouge kicks in at the end of this chapter, and will be repeated (and changed slightly, now that you know it's Leanna sleeping in his bed) for continuity of the story!!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Horatio and Leanna stepped into the interrogation room. Horatio thought Klein might be asleep. The older man's head was propped up in his hands, his eyes were closed, and his breathing was regular.  
  
"I'm tired, Caine, and I want to go home. Are they done with Vincent's house yet?"  
  
Klein's a little whiny when he's tired, Leanna laughed to herself.  
  
"Sure, Max, you can go home." Horatio grinned.  
  
"Well, it's about damned time." Klein stood, packing his briefcase.  
  
"You can go home, but Vincent here, he's going to be staying with us for a while."  
  
Klein's expression was crestfallen. "What?"  
  
Horatio slid two files across the table. "The bullets we found in each of our four husbands were fired from the gun we found in Mr. Wagner's bedside table."  
  
Klein's balding head was turning red. Horatio continued, "And to add insult to injury, Max, we found a knife in Vincent's closet and wouldn't you know it? We found DNA from each one of our female victims."  
  
"Your brilliant crime spree is over, Vincent," Leanna chimed in.  
  
"Okay, Horatio, let's talk." Max's tone was desperate. "My client isn't well."  
  
"Well that, Max, is quite possibly the understatement of the century."  
  
"Vincent," Klein began to explain, "was severely abused as a child." He looked sympathetically at his client, who stared ahead with steely eyes. "When Vincent was born, the doctors told his parents that he was a hermaphrodite- born with both male and female genitalia. His father had three sons from a previous marriage and wanted a daughter, so he made the decision to raise Vincent as a girl - Victoria."  
  
"Vincent's mother," he stopped. "Well, it's not right to speak of the dead."  
  
"Drop the southern genteel gentleman crap, Max," Horatio spat out.  
  
"Okay, okay. Vincent's mother was devastated that her seemingly perfect child wasn't perfect. Her anger towards Vincent manifested itself in sexual, verbal and physical abuse," Klein explained.  
  
"When Vincent finally moved out of his parent's home, he decided to live his life as a man - just like he'd always believed he was. He took testosterone and had plastic surgery to provide him that which nature denied."  
  
"Well that explains the bills that were found," Leanna stated.  
  
"So how did the killing start, Vincent?" Horatio demanded.  
  
"My mother," his voice was solid, monotone, void of emotion. "She saw me one afternoon, recognized me, followed me. She pushed her way into my home, belittling me, criticizing me. Calling me a lesbian was just the tip of the iceberg. She was a monster."  
  
He sighed. "I was wearing sweatpants that day. I'd just had my first surgery and she ripped them off me. She stared at my new penis and laughed. She told me that I'd be a bigger failure with it than I was as a woman."  
  
Leanna watched him carefully. "You killed your mother, didn't you Vincent."  
  
He grinned. "She was the first to die."  
  
"So, why these women, Vincent?" Horatio displayed photographs of the murdered women on the table.  
  
Leanna shuddered when he answered. "They reminded me of her."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Leanna stepped into the trace lab, circling her arms around Tim's waist and resting her head on his back. "It's over," she mumbled.  
  
Tim's mind began to race, recalling his earlier conversation with Calleigh. He'd been preparing himself for this moment, but Tim's heart dropped into his stomach anyway. "What's over?" he asked cautiously, dreading her answer.  
  
Leanna shuddered, burying her face in Tim's shoulder. "Vincent confessed, but he's unfortunately got a hell of a case for insanity, and Klein's going to pursue it for all it's worth."  
  
Relief flooded over him and he turned to gather Leanna into his arms, placing a kiss on the top of her head.  
  
"Can we go home?" she yawned and snuggled deep into his embrace, "I'm so tired."  
  
Tim glanced at his watch - it was nearly seven o'clock in the evening. They'd been called back into the office at four that morning. "Yeah, okay, I'm done here."  
  
She ran her finger down his chest and smiled. "I seem to recall owing you five minutes, mister."  
  
He touched her cheek gently. "We'll get some sleep and then talk about it, Lea."  
  
"Sleep," she muttered. "I have to admit that sounds almost as good as making love to you."  
  
He smiled weakly. "Let's just go home, Lea."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Tim sat in the window seat of his bedroom, clad only in a pair of plaid cotton boxers. Quietly opening the window, he lit a cigarette and brought it to his lips. Moonlight danced through the filmy curtains, casting intermittent shadows over Leanna's peaceful features. He leaned his back against the wall and propped his feet up on the other side, closing his eyes and absorbing the soft sounds of the Miami night.  
  
I wasn't prepared, he thought, turning his head slightly to gaze at her. Soft amber curls cascaded across her pillow, the red a stark contrast to the ivory of Tim's cotton pillowcases. He imagined her bright green eyes dancing beneath their lids, dreaming only of him. One hand was tucked beneath her pillow and the other had come to rest in the middle of the bed when Tim had rolled out of it a few moments ago.  
  
She'd come home, but not for him - Calleigh's words echoed in his head. She'd come back for a case, for Horatio. She really wasn't his any more, and yet she still possessed every fiber of his soul. His worst fears had been realized the moment she'd stepped off the plane. He still loved her.  
  
They don't understand, he sighed, flicking ashes into an empty beer bottle. How could anyone possibly understand how he'd so easily taken this woman back into his life, back into his bed? They didn't understand because they didn't love her the way he loved her.  
  
"Tim?" She'd woken, but hadn't moved. He turned to watch her again.  
  
"Yeah, babe?"  
  
She stroked the spot Tim had occupied when she'd fallen asleep with her fingertips. "I'm awfully lonely over here all by myself."  
  
A grin tugged at his lips. He exhaled the last drag of his cigarette, quickly shoving the remnant into the bottle and standing. He teased, "Maybe you should snuggle up to your pillow."  
  
She smiled sleepily. "My pillow can't give me what I want right now."  
  
He crossed over to the bed and slid in next to her. Tracing her cheek with his fingertip, he asked quietly, "And what's that?"  
  
She snuggled closer to him and wrapped her leg around his waist. Her lips trailed hot kisses on his neck. He moaned as her hand slid seductively down his chest. "You," she whispered, sliding her tongue gently into his ear, "make love to me, my future husband."  
  
Tim snapped back into reality and he caught her hand's procession past his waist. "Leanna, stop."  
  
His tone startled her, and when she looked up at him, he turned away from her. "What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"How do you know we're doing the right thing?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Tim turned his head to face her. His eyes were darkened, not with desire, but with fear and confusion. "Answer me. How do you know we're doing the right thing, being here, together, talking about getting married? You've been back a week, Leanna. A week, and you're engaged to someone else."  
  
Leanna was beginning to panic, wondering if this was some kind of sick joke. Tim just wasn't heartless enough to make her fall in love with him all over again and then dump her, just to prove some macho point. "I love you," her voice trembled.  
  
"Do you?" he accused, rolling onto his back. "You thought you loved Jonathan before you came out here. Why am I supposed to believe that you won't fall back in love with him when you've been back in Washington for a week, or ten days or a month, or however long you're planning to leave me again?"  
  
"Tim, look at me." She sat up and clasped his face with her hands. "I love you. I thought that love like ours only came around once in a lifetime. I knew I'd already had - and lost it. Jonathan's a wonderful man, Tim, but I never loved him the way I love you."  
  
"My heart," she began to cry softly, "my heart is here with you. My future is here, with you. You are the only man I have ever loved and the only man I ever want to love. We're two halves of a whole soul, and you and I both know it. Come with me to Washington. That way, you can make sure I come home – with you."  
  
The words were music to his soul, everything he needed so desperately to hear from her. She wanted him to go with her, to see and, for the most part, to end her life in Washington. He laughed and kissed her forehead. "I don't have to go to Washington with you, Lea, I trust you."  
  
"I'm glad that you trust me, but I want you to come with me." Leanna traced his cheek with her fingertips. "I love you so much," she whispered.  
  
"I love you too, baby," he answered. Tim ran a hand through the silky tresses of her hair, gently pulling her face to his. He kissed her deeply, rolling Leanna to her back, pressing her into the mattress.  
  
"What, uh, did you say about five minutes earlier?" he asked, inching the hem of her tank top up with his fingertips. Goosebumps immediately appeared on Leanna's soft skin, and Tim followed their trail up her abdomen with kisses.  
  
"I said...Oh God," Leanna moaned as Tim captured a nipple in his mouth and began to suck lightly.  
  
Tim looked up at her and grinned. "No, I don't think that was it," he teased, earning a playful slap on the arm.  
  
"This isn't the time for jokes, Tim," she warned gently, exacting her revenge by sliding her hand under the waistband of his boxers and enveloping his hardening sex with her fingers. She smirked silently when his eyes darkened and slightly rolled back into his head.  
  
He tried to resist the sensations her touch was creating, and concentrated on removing the tank top and the black lace underwear she was wearing. He slid one finger into her, then a second, succumbing to the pleasure washing over him as she began to ride his fingers and moan his name. "What is it time for, Lea?" he asked.  
  
Her fingers traced the length of him with feather light touches, driving him absolutely mad with desire. "Make love to me," she answered, her voice low and husky with desire.  
  
"I thought you'd never ask," he said, shedding his boxers and positioning himself between her legs. He kissed her gently, smiling against her lips as their tongues dueled for control. Leanna's hands were on his buttocks, desperately trying to push him inside of her. "Please," she begged breathlessly.  
  
He shook his head, lowering his lips to her breast, tickling a taut nipple with his tongue. "You promised we'd go slow next time, and this is next time," he argued.  
  
Leanna whimpered beneath him, and lifted his face up. "Technically," she argued.  
  
Tim grinned. "This isn't the time for technicalities, Lea."  
  
"Well, then what?" she whined.  
  
"This," he answered, sliding into her, allowing the sensation of being inside her again wash over him. Leanna gasped as he filled her and then sighed contentedly, running her fingers over his back. Tim's lips trailed down to her shoulder, and he sucked lightly on the spot that drove her crazy as he began to move slowly.  
  
"You feel so good," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers and kissing her while their bodies rocked together gracefully and powerfully. Leanna's fingernails dug into his back as he moved inside her, and he sensed her climax approaching quickly. He lifted her leg just slightly, so that she was taking him in at a different angle. Tim buried his face into her auburn curls. "Just let go, baby," he encouraged, increasing his tempo to bring her over the edge, "let it all go."  
  
Her back arched as she came, the passion in her voice overwhelming him as she moaned his name. "I'm right here," he cried out softly, spilling into her, "just let it all go."  
  
He held her there for what seemed like an eternity, until their bodies began to cool and tremors ceased. He trailed wet kisses across her chest and slid out of her, gathering her into his arms and spooning his body with hers.  
  
He stroked her damp hair while she traced lazy circles on his arm. "I really don't have to go to Washington with you, Lea," he said quietly.  
  
She laughed and snuggled deeper into his embrace. "I don't know, honey, four years is a lot of time to make up for, and I'm just not sure I can let you out of my sight for a week."  
  
Tim kissed her shoulder, running his tongue over her smooth skin. "I think I've got some time off coming to me."  
  
"How much time?" she asked curiously, turning in his arms to face him. "After all, we've got a honeymoon to take, too."  
  
"Oh yeah, that's right," he answered, rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him. "Honeymoons take a lot of practice." 


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Calleigh sipped her red wine, leaned back in her chair and smiled at Horatio. "Why are you staring at me?" he asked playfully, eliciting a soft laugh from Calleigh.  
  
"Because you are so darned handsome," she teased. Calleigh reached across the table and took Horatio's hand. "I'm having a really good time."  
  
Horatio smiled brightly. "Not too tired, then?"  
  
Calleigh shook her head. "Not at all. I was a little worried when I went home to change, but now I'm fine."  
  
Horatio's eyes danced in the candlelight as he stroked Calleigh's hand. "And have I mentioned how beautiful you look tonight?"  
  
She laughed. "Only about a million times, but, hey, who's counting?"  
  
"Not me," he said gently. "Would you like to dance?"  
  
"Absolutely." Calleigh set her napkin on the table and stood, taking Horatio's hand again as he led her onto the dance floor.  
  
Horatio wrapped her into his arms, bringing one set of hands in between them, and placing his other arm demurely at her waist. She closed her eyes and sighed, perfectly content to stay this way forever.  
  
Calleigh felt a sudden wave of guilt sweep over her. She and Tim had kept their relationship such a secret that even Eric had never known what was going on. Horatio certainly had no clue that something was going on between them. "Horatio?" she asked quietly.  
  
Horatio hummed in her ear, leading them to the music. "Yes?"  
  
She took a deep breath and began. "There's something I need to tell you, something about me and Tim."  
  
Horatio shook his head, never missing a beat of the music. "I already know, Cal, and frankly I don't care."  
  
Calleigh breathed a sigh of relief. "How did you know?"  
  
He answered her honestly. "Leanna accidentally let it slip. I guess she thought I already knew." Horatio felt Calleigh tense up at the mention of Leanna's name. "Calleigh, it was totally innocent. She's not at fault."  
  
He sensed Calleigh's feeling of betrayal and had an overwhelming desire to defend Leanna and Tim. "She saved him, Calleigh. You didn't know Tim six years ago, when he first came to work here. He was just a shell of man, lost in his grief at the loss of his best friend. I wish you could have known them then, Cal. The love they had for one another – it was so beautiful, so overwhelming. You couldn't be in their presence and not feel it radiating from them. It's the way I always dreamed you and I could be."  
  
Soft tears began to spill from Calleigh's eyes at his confession. "Oh, Horatio, you are far too wonderful a man for me." She stepped from his embrace and headed for the table. She picked up her wrap and purse.  
  
Horatio had followed her, and grasped her wrist. "You're not leaving?"  
  
"Horatio." She paused, trying to choose her words carefully.  
  
"Calleigh," he cut her off. "I thank God that Leanna told me about you and Tim. You want to know why?"  
  
She nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Because it made me realize how stupid I had been, not telling you how I felt before now. I don't care that you slept with him and I don't care that you love him, because I know that the promise of what you and I could have is stronger than that."  
  
Calleigh collapsed into Horatio's open arms. "I love you," he said gently, stroking her golden curls. "I can admit that now."  
  
"I don't deserve you," she sobbed into his shoulder.  
  
"Calleigh," he said emphatically, "it is clearly I who doesn't deserve you."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Tim awoke the next morning, happier than he'd been in years. Leanna had fallen asleep in his arms and hadn't moved throughout the night. Her left hand was resting on her pillow and Tim grinned when he noticed she was still wearing her wedding ring.  
  
Her contented sigh indicated that she was awake. "You planning to take that ring off?" he teased into her ear.  
  
Leanna smiled brightly, turning over and scooting deep into his embrace. "No way, Hosea."  
  
He laughed at her childish reply and stroked her cheek with his finger. "What if I bought you a different ring?" he asked seriously.  
  
Leanna was taken aback and looked up at Tim with confusion. "I don't want a different ring. What are you talking about?"  
  
Tim shrugged. "Well, last time, I never bought you an engagement ring."  
  
She rested her head on his arm, gazing at him with her beautiful green eyes and smiling. "I didn't need an engagement ring then, and I don't need one now."  
  
"I have the money, Lea."  
  
"I never said you didn't," she argued gently. "I don't need some stupid diamond to tell me that we're getting married or remind me how much I love you."  
  
He chuckled, leaning down to kiss her. "What if I want the whole world to know how much I love you?"  
  
She considered this for a minute; then answered sarcastically, "Well, it's totally written all over your face, but if you feel some overwhelming macho desire to stick a huge diamond on my finger, go for it, stud."  
  
"Good," he answered, kissing her again. "It's settled then. We're going shopping."  
  
"You're SERIOUS?" she asked when he rolled out of bed. "We have to go to work, Tim."  
  
He grinned and picked up the bedside phone. Dialing quickly, he waited for a reply; then said, "Hey, H. If it's okay with you, I'm gonna take the day off and put a big diamond on Leanna's finger."  
  
"Huge diamond," she teased, admiring his naked form as he talked to his boss. She knelt on the bed in front of him, letting the sheet fall away; and began pressing hot, wet kisses over his chest.  
  
"Excuse me, H, huge diamond." He covered the phone with his hand, lifting her chin to his face and kissing her deeply. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer and moaned as her fingers enveloped him. "You're killing me here," he whispered into her mouth.  
  
"Not likely," she argued, trailing her lips over his neck as she stroked him.  
  
Horatio laughed heartily, oblivious to their interaction. "Speed you have enough time off to leave me in a lurch for three months. I won't exactly object to you taking one day off, especially since the case has wrapped."  
  
"Thanks." He disconnected and leaned down, scooping Leanna into his arms. "We need a shower." His voice was deep and sultry as he whispered in her ear.  
  
"I like the way you think," she moaned as he attacked the spot on her neck and carried her into the bathroom.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Wow!" Leanna exclaimed, slipping a one-carat radiant cut diamond on her finger.  
  
"This is so weird," the sales woman, Jackie, shook her head. "Four years ago, I sold you guys wedding rings. Now you're here for an engagement ring. Tim, don't take this the wrong way, but don't you have it a bit backwards?"  
  
"Whatever it takes to finally marry this woman, Jackie," he teased, admiring the stone on Leanna's finger. "I think we've found a winner."  
  
"I'll say," Leanna agreed, turning her hand for a different angle on the stone. She then looked at Tim seriously. "Are you sure about this?"  
  
He kissed her gently. "I'm sure."  
  
"It's a lot of money," she sighed, turning the ring over to look at the price tag.  
  
He shrugged. "It's just pennies a day for the rest of our lives."  
  
"I love you," she answered, pressing her lips to his. "It already fits."  
  
"That just means you don't have to take it off ever again."  
  
"Good," she teased, nuzzling his nose, "because you'll have to pry it off my cold dead fingers if you ever want it back."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Where are Tim and Leanna?" Eric questioned, sitting down at the conference room table.  
  
"Taking the day off," Horatio explained. "Which is exactly what I want the rest of you to do. You've earned it."  
  
"Not so fast," John leaned on the doorframe, his eyes sullen and his expression crestfallen.  
  
Horatio looked at the detective, hands planted firmly on his hips. "What are you talking about John?"  
  
John sighed heavily. "We've got another couple. Dispatch just paged me."  
  
Calleigh's shoulders fell. "How is that possible, John? We've got the guy in custody."  
  
"I don't know, Cal," he shook his head. "Better call Tim and Leanna in."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Tim was finishing up the payment on Leanna's ring when his cell phone rang. "Yeah, it's Speed," he answered, not bothering to check the caller ID.  
  
"Speed, we have a situation," Horatio spoke deliberately, "I need you and Leanna here immediately."  
  
Tim glanced at Leanna, who was watching him with curiosity. "Uh, we're about twenty minutes from the station, H," he answered.  
  
"Light it up, Speed and get here quick."  
  
"You got it," he snapped the phone shut and placed it back on his hip. "We gotta go," he said to Leanna, then turned his attention to Jackie. "Thanks for everything, Jackie."  
  
"Tim, what's wrong?" Leanna questioned as they made their way out of the jewelry store and over to Tim's truck.  
  
"I don't know," he answered, opening the passenger door for her, then crossing over to the driver's side. "But, H wants us there immediately."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Despite Horatio's brave confession of love and Calleigh's elation at their budding relationship, she still felt a twinge of jealousy and anger when Leanna stepped into the conference room. Calleigh immediately noticed the new ring on her finger and the way Leanna unconsciously ran her finger over its white gold band.  
  
"Whoa," Eric commented, lifting Leanna's newly bejeweled hand. "That's some rock, Speed."  
  
"Thanks," Speed muttered, taking a seat next to Leanna, and casting a glance at Calleigh, who did her best to smile brightly at him.  
  
"Gentlemen, focus," Horatio warned. "We have another dead couple, found late this morning by the cleaning crew at the Agramont."  
  
"How is that possible?" Leanna demanded, resting her hands on the table. "We caught Vincent. He confessed."  
  
"Did he get this couple before we caught him?" Tim questioned.  
  
"We don't know," Horatio answered honestly. "Let's get out to the crime scene." 


	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"The room is registered to Michael and Alicia Coffman," John explained, leading the team to the hotel door. "The concierge confirmed they are newlyweds. Their cruise to Grand Cayman was supposed to leave this afternoon."  
  
"This is THEIR room?" Horatio questioned. John nodded. The other victims weren't killed in their own hotel rooms. "When did they arrive in Miami, John?" he asked, stepping inside the crime scene.  
  
"Three days ago," he answered, holding the door open for the rest of the team. "The concierge also told me that he recommended a number of clubs to the Coffmans last night, but not before."  
  
"And Tremolar was one of the clubs?" Leanna stepped over to the woman, gasping when she saw her face. "Calleigh!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked, walking over to Leanna.  
  
"She was in the bathroom the same time we were," Leanna explained.  
  
"Oh God, you're right. I remember thinking I liked her shoes." Calleigh bent down and picked Alicia's shoes up off the floor.  
  
"So that means that Michael and Alicia were alive last night," Tim stated, photographing Michael Coffman's body.  
  
"And unless Vincent Wagner left police custody and killed the Coffmans, then came back, he didn't do this," Eric stated.  
  
"Time of death, Alexx?" Horatio asked the ME.  
  
"People keep these hotel rooms so cold, I'll need to get them back to the lab," she explained, examining the wound to Alicia's neck.  
  
"Hey H," Eric lifted a small circular disk from the floor, underneath the coffee table. "What do you make of this?"  
  
"That's the lid to a film container," Horatio said, examining the gray plastic. "Have we found a camera in the Coffman's belongings, Speed?"  
  
"Yeah," he nodded. "High-end digital. Found it in her suitcase."  
  
"Maybe the cleaning crew missed the lid before the Coffman's got here?" Eric asked.  
  
"Maybe," Horatio nodded. "But I seriously doubt it. You saw the lid in five minutes. The Coffmans have been here for three days."  
  
"I'll get this back to the lab for prints," Eric said quietly, bagging the lid.  
  
Horatio placed his hands on his hips. "We need to go back to the security tapes."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay, there are the Coffmans." Calleigh pointed at a couple on the video monitor.  
  
"Four people approached them," Tyler continued, "These two are definitely a couple."  
  
"They spoke with Michael and Alicia for about fifteen minutes and then wandered off. They aren't caught on camera again the entire evening," Calleigh explained.  
  
Tyler fast-forwarded the video. "Then this woman come up to them; but, Alicia Coffman doesn't seem very interested, and the woman walks off pretty quickly."  
  
Tyler continued to let the video play while Calleigh narrated. "Then almost immediately after the woman leaves, this guy approaches them."  
  
Tim focused on the screen and the man approaching the couple. He cut her off, "Is that the photographer?"  
  
Calleigh nodded. "Just like he did with you, he hands Michael Coffman a business card and they speak for a few minutes."  
  
"Speed, do you still have that card?" Horatio questioned.  
  
"Yeah," the younger man answered. "At home, I haven't had time to clean out my pant pockets."  
  
"Speed," Horatio demanded, "Go get that card, now."  
  
Thirty minutes later, Speed reported back via cell phone. "H, I've got the card. I tried calling the number listed, but it's disconnected."  
  
"Was there an address on the card, Speed?"  
  
"No," he sighed, "Just his name - James Henry, cell phone number and a logo."  
  
"Okay, start calling the cell phone companies. Maybe this guy wasn't smart enough to purchase a pre-paid phone." Horatio snapped the phone shut.  
  
"One usable print of the lid, H." Eric burst through the door with Calleigh and Leanna in tow. "No hits on AFIS though."  
  
"The bullet used in Michael Coffman's shooting is the same type as the bullets used in the other shootings, but the striations don't match Vincent Wagner's gun," Calleigh reported. "For obvious reasons."  
  
Leanna continued the update. "Alexx's report shows that the slash on Alicia Coffman's throat is right to left. The other four women had slashes from left to right. The new guy's a lefty."  
  
"Tyler?" Horatio asked. "Which hand did James Henry use to hand Michael Coffman the business card?"  
  
Tyler examined the footage quickly. "The left," he answered.  
  
"And when he handed the card to Speed?"  
  
Tyler switched screens, again responding quickly. "Left again."  
  
Speed sauntered into the lab, catching the end of the conversation. Kissing Leanna gently on the temple, he said, "Unfortunately, this guy's smarter than we want him to be. Phone's a pre-paid. He bought it at a convenience store downtown."  
  
"I don't suppose the convenience store has security cameras or that he paid with a credit card?" Calleigh hoped. The sight of Tim kissing Leanna didn't make her physically ill this time - a huge improvement, she surmised.  
  
"They do have cameras," he answered, "But the day the phone was bought was slow. The store taped over it the next day. The credit card used to pay for the phone traces back to Vincent Wagner."  
  
"They're working together," Eric sighed.  
  
"Kind of looks that way," Speed said, "There's been a lot of activity on this credit card over the last 36 hours. I'm waiting for the company to fax me a printout."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Leanna snaked her arms around Tim's shoulders. "Hi," she whispered.  
  
"Hi yourself," he answered, examining a printout carefully.  
  
"Vincent's credit card records?" she questioned, tracing the edge of his ear with her tongue.  
  
Tim lowered the paper and tried to concentrate on something other than the sensations she was arousing. "The Miami Dade Police Department frowns on the sexual harassment of its CSIs, even by the most beautiful FBI profiler in the world," he teased.  
  
Her lips trailed down his neck and she pushed the collar of his shirt away. "I can't sexually harass my own fiancé," she shot back.  
  
Tim grabbed Leanna around the waist and drew her onto his lap. "I think that's the first time you've actually said that."  
  
She grinned and leaned in to him, brushing her lips and tongue lightly over his. "Sounds awfully good, doesn't it?"  
  
His brown eyes twinkled as he tried to catch her lips with his own. "Very good," he answered.  
  
"So," she asked, turning her attention to the printout, "what have Vincent and James been buying?"  
  
"Luggage," he answered, pushing the hair off her shoulder and kissing her neck. "High dollar clothing."  
  
"He's going to run," she sighed, partially out of frustration, but mostly from the feel of Tim's tongue on her skin.  
  
"Or has," he responded, allowing his fingertips to trace the inside of her thighs, "we may never find this guy, he's already had eighteen hours."  
  
"Are the airports covered?" she asked breathlessly, covering his hand with her own, urging him on.  
  
"Public and private," he answered, his voice getting husky with desire. "Detectives are canvassing every airline, showing James' picture, asking questions."  
  
Leanna tilted her head back and captured his lips in a searing kiss. "Is there anything we need to be doing right now?" she grinned mischievously.  
  
"Oh yeah," he answered, "There is definitely something we need to be doing right now." Tim took Leanna's hand and led her out of the lab and down the hallway. He opened the large maintenance storeroom and locked the door behind them.  
  
"Ooh, it's been a long time since we've made love in the supply closet," she teased, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.  
  
Speed looked at his watch. "It's been too long since we've made love, period."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
They collapsed in a fit of quiet laughter, straightening their clothes. Leanna checked her reflection in a tiny mirror she found in the supply closet, making sure that her hair wasn't standing on end and her makeup wasn't too smudged.  
  
Tim's beeper sounded. "It's H," he told her, stepping up behind her, gently kissing her neck. "At least his timing is getting a hell of a lot better."  
  
Leanna spun around, looping her arms around his neck. "I love you, Tim."  
  
He grinned and kissed her again. "I know, I love you too." Speed took her hand as they walked out of the storeroom. A minute later, they stepped into the conference room. "What's up H?"  
  
Horatio immediately recognized the slightly flushed features of his friends and despite the seriousness of the situation, he found himself grinning, albeit internally. The supply room again, he shook his head. "James Henry, not his real name," he emphasized, "paid cash for a flight out of Miami."  
  
"You got him?" Leanna questioned.  
  
Horatio nodded. "The flight was on the runway, waiting for takeoff. John is bringing him in now."  
  
Tim, Eric and Calleigh began searching James Henry's – real name James McElroy – luggage while Horatio, Leanna and John interrogated the suspect.  
  
"I got photos," Eric said, sliding the black and white 8 x 10s out of a plain manila envelope. "Jesus, look at this."  
  
Eric handed the violent photos depicting the Coffman's murders to Tim.  
  
"He must have set the timer to take a picture every minute or so," Tim concluded, examining each photo carefully. "I'll give these to H."  
  
Speed took off down the hall, knocking lightly on the door of the interrogation room. He entered, handing Horatio the photos. "When you said you specialized in nudes, James, I sure didn't think you meant this," he said carefully, fighting the urge to throttle James McElroy.  
  
Horatio tossed the photos onto the table. James shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "Those aren't mine," he stated.  
  
"Well, that's amazing because we found them in your brand new suitcase, the one you paid for with Vincent Wagner's credit card," Speed said.  
  
"Is my lawyer here yet?" McElroy asked, glaring at Horatio.  
  
"Knock, Knock," Max Klein called from the doorway.  
  
"Christ, you again Klein?" Horatio sighed, running a hand through his red hair.  
  
"Call it a special favor for Vincent," he said, taking a seat next to James.  
  
Speed smirked, "Well, I guess that proves they know one another."  
  
"Special favor?" Leanna questioned.  
  
Klein grinned at her. "That's what I said, Agent Coleman." 


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Max Klein took a seat beside his new client and placed an encouraging hand on James' arm.  
  
"So, Max, what is McElroy's connection to Wagner?" Horatio asked the attorney.  
  
"Vincent and James are, uh, friends," Klein replied with a smirk, glancing at James.  
  
Leanna stared at Klein, "'Uh, friends'? What is that supposed to mean? Are they more than friends?" she demanded.  
  
"Vincent is my wife," McElroy answered, turning the ring on his right hand nervously.  
  
The three detectives were taken aback. "Your wife?" Speed finally choked out.  
  
"That's what I said," McElroy said irritably, then grinned at Speed. "Which means I can't and won't testify against Vincent."  
  
"God knows I'm all for loyalty to your spouse, James, but that only applies to legally married couples," Speed explained.  
  
"Oh, they are legally married, Detective." Klein handed Speed a sheet of paper, which he read, then handed to Horatio.  
  
"James McElroy and Victoria Wagner," Horatio read aloud.  
  
"Vincent's real name," Leanna commented. Klein nodded, and leaned back in his chair, grinning widely.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
"The other set of DNA we found on the strap-on matched James McElroy," Eric said, handing Valera's report to Horatio. "So we've got all four women and McElroy."  
  
"Alexx, what about the rape kit on Alicia Coffman?" Horatio questioned.  
  
Alexx shook her head. "No evidence of a sexual assault or encounter with anyone other than her husband."  
  
"So, McElroy didn't rape Alicia," Horatio said, "Why not?"  
  
"I think it's entirely possible that McElroy committed this murder to help Vincent," Leanna shrugged. "Protect his spouse."  
  
"Cast doubt that we had the right guy." Speed shook his head. "That might have worked if we hadn't found all the evidence at Wagner's house."  
  
"What if," Horatio began, "what if they were working together the entire time? James took pictures of this murder, what if he took pictures of all the murders?"  
  
"We need to get into James' house," Speed continued the thought.  
  
Horatio nodded. "Get a warrant, Speed and let's get over there."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
"Gun," Eric called out, pulling a 9mm from beneath James McElroy's mattress. He handed the gun to Calleigh.  
  
"Remind me to thank God for stupid criminals," Calleigh laughed, bagging the gun and labeling it.  
  
"These two are really screwing up my article," Leanna frowned, examining the stack of photographs Speed had just found locked in a safe. "They're twisted as hell, but not too intelligent. Hiding a murder weapon under the mattress? Please."  
  
"You're writing an article about all this?" Eric questioned.  
  
She nodded and continued to study the photographs intently. "Yeah, I gotta do something to make a little money until my transfer comes through in Miami. As soon as this is over, I'll be on unpaid personal leave from Washington."  
  
"She's got to earn her keep," Speed teased, elbowing his fiancée in the arm.  
  
Leanna rolled her eyes and elbowed him back. "I guess my dreams of being a kept woman just went flying out the window."  
  
"Feds pay more than the county, babe," he shot back playfully. "I'm going to be the kept man around here. You've got to make enough to support me and Duke."  
  
"Support your motorcycle?" Calleigh laughed, shaking her head. "What are you, four?"  
  
"Something like that," he grinned, grateful for the interaction with Calleigh.  
  
"Pictures from all the murders?" she asked, glancing at the stack in Leanna's hand.  
  
"He's a regular shutterbug," Leanna answered, flipping through the stack again. "At least it implicates both of them. We've got pictures of Vincent raping and murdering the women."  
  
"Nothing on the husbands, though," Speed stated, looking over her shoulder.  
  
"The husbands are secondary, I'm not surprised."  
  
Speed blew out a deep breath. "Let's get this stuff back to the lab and get it all tested."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*  
  
Tim flopped onto the dark leather sofa in his apartment. "I am so glad this case is over," he stated, putting an arm behind his head and propping his feet up on the coffee table.  
  
Leanna entered from the kitchen, carrying a glass of wine for her and a beer for him. "Me too," she agreed, sitting down next to him. She handed the beer to him, which he accepted gratefully.  
  
"Would have been nice if we could have nailed James for the other murders, though."  
  
Leanna shook her head, "They're both going away for life, sweetie."  
  
"I know," he frowned, picking at a thread on the chenille blanket draped across the back of the couch. "It's just the principle of the thing."  
  
"Let's talk about something else," she said, reaching for the television remote. She turned the set on and began absent-mindedly flipping channels.  
  
"Like what?" he grinned.  
  
She shot him a sly look and shrugged her shoulders. "Like us getting married. When do you want to do it?"  
  
"Tomorrow," he answered, tapping the tip of her nose with his finger. "Tomorrow sounds like a perfect day."  
  
"Tomorrow?" she asked sarcastically. "A whole two day engagement? You're such a romantic, honey," she teased.  
  
"I'm serious," he laughed. "What the hell would we be waiting for, Lea? Is there something else you need to know about me that you don't already? You know all my bad habits, everything I've ever been through my entire life and I know all that stuff about you."  
  
She continued flipping channels, considering his words carefully. "Tomorrow, huh?"  
  
He grinned, leaning over to take the remote away from her. He hit the power button, turning the set off. "Tomorrow," he answered, pushing the hair away from her neck. He kissed the soft spot on her shoulder. Leanna closed her eyes and melted into the couch, loving the feel of his tongue against her skin.  
  
Tim maneuvered Leanna onto his lap, tugging at the hem of her soft v-neck sweater. He lifted it over her head, kissing the soft skin he exposed. Leanna unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it past his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him as she did.  
  
The ringing of her cell phone interrupted the moment. Speed sank back of the couch, yelling, "I just want to make love to my fiancée. Is that too much to ask?"  
  
Leanna laughed and climbed off his lap. "Keep your pants on. Or better yet, take them off," she teased, retrieving the phone from her purse. "Hello?" she answered brightly.  
  
"Leanna?" Jonathan's voice startled her. Leanna could feel the color totally drain out of her face. She glanced over at Tim who was staring at her with both worry and confusion.  
  
"Jonathan," she said, eliciting a loud groan from Tim. He stood from the couch and glared at her, then headed into the bedroom and slammed the door.  
  
"What was that?" Jonathan asked curiously.  
  
"That was, uh..." Leanna's thoughts raced through her mind. She was desperate for a way to begin this conversation and she thought she still had a few days to come up with the perfect words.  
  
"Leanna?"  
  
"Jonathan, I have something I need to tell you." Leanna's heart was racing and she fought back the nausea building in her stomach. She looked down at her hands, which were shaking. Focusing on Tim's ring – she smiled. "I told you that I was coming to Miami to help an old friend, and that was the truth, but I left quite a bit out."  
  
"Go on," he encouraged her.  
  
"When I left Miami four years ago for the Academy, I was engaged to a man named Tim Speedle. He's a CSI with the Miami Dade Police Department," she continued.  
  
Jonathan was quiet for a moment. "Is or was?" he finally asked.  
  
"Is," she answered honestly. "When I got into the FBI, Tim didn't want me to go and we had this huge fight and I just left. For being in our mid- twenties and professionals, we were pretty stupid."  
  
"And now you're back there, and.............."  
  
She took a deep breath and exhaled, saying, "I'm still in love with him."  
  
"I see." The pain in his voice hurt her deeply.  
  
"Jonathan?" she asked gently.  
  
"You want to marry him," his voice strained, "instead of me?"  
  
Leanna wiped the tears streaming down her face. "Yes," she said quietly.  
  
"Well." She waited for him to continue, but there was only silence.  
  
"Jonathan, I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen," she cried. "You've always been so wonderful to me and God knows you don't deserve this."  
  
"But you love him," he stated flatly.  
  
"With all my heart and soul," she answered.  
  
"Will you be coming back to Washington?" he asked.  
  
"I was going to come back and talk to you, pack up my apartment, that kind of thing."  
  
"Well, that's not necessary – coming to speak with me. I have nothing else to say to you."  
  
"Okay," she answered.  
  
"You'll return your engagement ring?" he asked curtly.  
  
"Of course," she said. "Tim and I should be there sometime next week."  
  
"That's fine, just drop it at the office and I'll pick it up from there. I have to go now, goodbye Leanna." He disconnected the line. Leanna sat with her cell phone in her hands, staring at it.  
  
She looked up to find Tim standing in the doorway of the bedroom. "How did it go?" he asked gently.  
  
"He's pissed," she smiled half-heartedly. "Not that I expected much else."  
  
Tim walked over to her and knelt in front of her. "Baby, you didn't mean for this to happen. Neither of us did – some things, though, they just are the way they are."  
  
"I know," she said, wiping more tears. "I just hated to do that over the phone."  
  
Tim nodded. "At least we can get married now without that hanging over our heads."  
  
"Are we still on for tomorrow?" she asked, touching his cheek with her fingers.  
  
"Tomorrow," he answered, bringing her left hand up to his lips. "I'm going to put another ring right here." He kissed the tiny space below her engagement ring.  
  
"I love you," she said emphatically.  
  
He grinned. "I know, baby, I love you too." 


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, including Tim Speedle, (sigh), but hey, a girl can dream, can't she?  
  
Rating: R, R, and more R  
  
Pairings: Speed/OC, Speed/Calleigh, Calleigh/?  
  
Summary: The team searches for a serial killer before he strikes again, bringing an old flame back to Miami and destroying Tim's precarious relationship with Calleigh.  
  
A/N: This story just would not leave me alone! I went back and re- read it the other day and decided that I could do better. Therefore, I am reposting the story with corrections, no major changes. This time, I have given a lot more backstory on the fight that broke Tim and Leanna up, among other things.  
  
Chapter 13  
  
"You did WHAT?" Eric screamed, slamming his coffee cup onto the table.  
  
Tim rolled his eyes and patted his best friend on the shoulder. "We got married, Eric."  
  
Eric's eyes were wide with shock. "I wasn't there. Shouldn't I have been there? I'm your best friend, jackass," he rambled.  
  
Tim laughed heartily. "You're right, jackass, you are. It was just me and Lea – just the way we both wanted it."  
  
"I can't believe you did that without me." Eric sounded hurt and he shook his head.  
  
"Christ, Delko, I didn't know it would mean that much to you."  
  
He frowned. "I know it's stupid, man, I just always thought that I'd stand up for you and then someday you'd stand up for me."  
  
It was Tim's turn to be shocked this time. "You fantasized about my wedding?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Screw you, okay, it wasn't like that," Eric said, rising from the sofa in the break room. "I'm going to go find Valera."  
  
"A little sympathy sex?" Tim teased. "By the way, the storage room is mine and Lea's, so find someplace else."  
  
Horatio sauntered into the break room after a retreating Eric. "So, you did it?" he asked, pointing at the band adorning Tim's ring finger.  
  
Speed grinned. "Yup. She's officially Mrs. Tim Speedle."  
  
Horatio nodded and reached out to hug his protégé. "Congratulations, Tim. I'm very pleased for you."  
  
"Thanks, H."  
  
"Speed?" Horatio asked cautiously. "I've been meaning to talk to you about something for the past couple of days."  
  
"What is it, H?" he asked curiously.  
  
"I'm, uh," Horatio placed his hands on his hip, tilting his head down, refusing to make eye contact with Speed. "I'm in love with Calleigh."  
  
Speed was taken aback. "What? When? How?" he stammered.  
  
"I realized it when I found out about you and Calleigh," he explained.  
  
Tim shook his head, "H, you've gotta understand, the thing with me and Calleigh..."  
  
Horatio held up a hand to stop him. "It's fine, Speed, really. I'm actually grateful it happened, because now I know what I've been missing."  
  
"Have you told her?" Speed asked gently, still in shock from his boss's revelation.  
  
Horatio nodded and smiled. "I took her to dinner the other night and told her then."  
  
Tim waited a moment for Horatio to continue, but Horatio only kept smiling. "Well, what did she say?" he demanded.  
  
"She's going to need a little time to get over you," Horatio answered. "but I'm going to help her with that all I can."  
  
Tim grinned widely. "Well, I'm shocked, but I think that's great. I'm really happy for both of you."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So, you and H, huh?" Speed questioned Calleigh in the H2 on the way to the team's next case.  
  
Calleigh blushed furiously, ducking her head toward the window. Speed could see the grin spreading across her face from the reflection in the window. "What did he tell you?" she asked with a hint of laughter in the voice.  
  
"Everything," he teased. "Calleigh, I think it's great."  
  
She looked over at him and smiled. "I do too, Tim. I'm not going to get over this by tomorrow or anything, but my relationship with Horatio has the promise of everything I've ever wanted, and I'm not going to let that go."  
  
"Good," he said, placing his hand on hers. "I hope you find everything you deserve."  
  
"We're going to be okay, Tim," she promised. "You've found Leanna and I've found Horatio. Somehow, I think this is the way it should be."  
  
"It is, Calleigh," he said, tapping his wedding ring on the steering wheel. "This is exactly the way it's supposed to be."  
  
The End. 


End file.
